Marie and Thomas: High School Years
by TheCartoonFanatic01
Summary: SEQUEL TO "TAKEN AWAY"! Marie Flynn and Thomas Fletcher are now high-school freshmen, experiencing what any other average teenager experiences, with their own usual twist to it. Romances, rivalries, and even an adventure involving a long-hidden secret ensues in these high-school experiences. It's the high school years! R&R! I DON'T OWN MARIE FLYNN OR THOMAS FLETCHER!
1. Our First Day of School, Part 1

**A/N:** Hey, everyone, another update! :D And trust me, this is gonna be satisfyingly longer than the last one, which, BTW, was supposed to be an introductory chapter that had no importance whatsoever. So, ENJOY!

**IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS:**

-Marie Flynn DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Angelus19 and sam-ely-ember.  
-Thomas Fletcher DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Melty19.  
-Jasmine Rai DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to sam-ely-ember and Melty19.

* * *

**Episode 1: Our First Day of School, Part 1**

* * *

_**September 4, 2035**_

Marie excitedly ran down the staircase, her crimson hair and her yellow bow fluttering as she did so, a big, enthusiastic smile plastered on her face. As the five years went by, her hair had become slightly longer and more shinier, and she had developed a couple of voluptuous curves in her body. However, she didn't drop her sense of fashion from when she was nine, retaining her orange dress, white T-shirt, and yellow bow.

The fourteen-year-old girl ran into the kitchen, where she found her father Phineas, who was sitting at the kitchen table, silently reading a newspaper. In the kitchen was her mother Isabella, who was washing a couple of dishes in the sink. Now in their middle ages, Phineas and Isabella have both seen their first gray hairs, and a few wrinkles were starting to develop on their faces. However, aging had yet to affect them emotionally, and the two of them were still going strong, now engaging in exercising and going out together more frequently.

"Good morning, Mom, Dad!" Marie exclaimed happily. "First day of high school!"

"And at Danville High, to be exact!" replied Phineas, smiling proudly as he put down his newspaper, stood up, and hugged his daughter. "You're gonna have the best of fun, honey, I promise you that! Believe me, your mother and I find our fondest memories back there, isn't that right, honey?"

Isabella smiled as she put down a dish, wiped her hands, and hugged Marie.

"Your father's right, Phineas," she said. "Believe me, once you graduate-" Suddenly, Isabella held back on her sentence briefly, a strange expression flooding her face. However, she recovered quickly and forced another smile. "-you're gonna wish you never, _ever_ left Danville High."_  
_

Phineas nodded, all the while looking at his wife with a concerned look on his face, having noticed her brief expression, whilst Marie didn't.

"Oh, now I can't wait to get there!" Marie cried, clapping her hands together in pleasure. Her eyes widened, and her smile widened as an idea suddenly hit her. "Oh, I gotta call Tommy! I bet he's very pleased to be getting to high school as well!"

* * *

"I am NOT pleased to be going there, Dad," Thomas said bitterly. Like Marie, his physical features have slightly changed during the past five years, with his brown hair growing longer and mostly obscuring one of his eyes, and his face was pockmarked from a terrible rash of pimples that occurred during middle school, but he continued to wear his usual clothing of a green T-shirt and black shorts.

"Come on, son," replied Ferb honestly as he put down the newspaper he was previously reading, "high school will be fun for you! Believe me, I had the same feeling as you, but the moment I stepped inside Danville High School, my life took a complete turn for the better!"

"But what if I don't make any friends at school? From what I observed in high-school interpretations, if you don't have any friends, you're screwed for four years. _You_ had a bunch of friends, but me, my only friends are Marie, Jazz, Xavier, and Fred, and believe me, I'm not pleased with our relationship!"

"Really?" A crafty smile appeared on Ferb's face. "Since when did you consider Marie your _friend_?"

Thomas frowned. "Uh, since _always_, Dad."

"And I thought you finally realized your feelings for her when you were nine, son."

"Well, I also finally realized that telling Marie directly head-on will still be useless, so I dropped my feelings for her. How many times do I have to tell you that, Dad?"

"As long as it takes, until you and Marie get together at last-"

"WILL YOU CUT IT OUT, DAD?!" Thomas yelled.

On cue, Vanessa appeared from the kitchen, a stern expression plastered on her face. Just like Phineas and Isabella, Ferb and Vanessa had begun seeing their first gray hairs and wrinkles, but still emotionally unaffected by the aging.

"Thomas Fletcher," she admonished, "this household does NOT tolerate that kind of volume!"

"Sorry, Mom," Thomas replied meekly.

Just then, a ringing filled the air, and Thomas realized that it was coming from his cell phone. He let out a disappointed sigh as he took it out of his pocket.

"Only one person calls me this early in the morning..." he mumbled to himself. Thomas promptly answered the call. "What, Marie?"

"Ooh, Tommy, aren't you excited to be going to high school for the first time!" Marie's voice squealed excitedly from the other line; her voice was so loud that Thomas had to slightly distance his ear from the cell phone.

"No, Marie, I'm not excited," replied Thomas. "In fact, I'm not happy AT ALL. And stop calling me Tommy, please!"

"Come on, Tommy, what's wrong with going to high school?"

"_Everything_," Thomas spat tersely. "Goodbye, Marie." With that, he quickly hung up.

* * *

Marie looked at her cell phone, puzzled by her step-cousin's attitude. However, an optimistic smile formed on her lips.

"Oh, Tommy," she said to herself, "you'll love high school, whether you like it or not..."

* * *

"I really hate this," Thomas said as he sat in the passenger seat of Ferb's hovermobile. His father was driving him over to the school, and the teenage boy sighed with disappointment and frustration as the hovermobile approached Danville High School, a two-story building with a domed roof located at one section and a wall of glass at another section. Large crowds of students were milling about in the parking lot and the main entrance.

As Ferb settled the hovermobile alongside the sidewalk opposite to the main entrance, Thomas observed several of the students. There were couples making out on the benches or under the trees, a group of strange-looking nerds were engaged in some sort of spirited debate, a group of girls were gossiping with one another... He felt as if he would throw up and relieve his stomach of his breakfast, right there in the car.

"Dad, I don't know if I can do this," the boy said, looking at Ferb, beseeching him for some sort of advice.

"Thomas, you can do this," Ferb replied. "I know you will. Believe me, I said that exact same thing to Grandpa Fletcher, but things turned out extraordinarily well for me in school." When that failed to placate his son's mood, he decided to continue. "Thomas, let me tell you something. When I told your Grandpa Fletcher that I feared of practically dying in Danville High, this is what he responded: just be yourself. Just be yourself, Thomas, and you'll do fine."

Thomas cast a glance at Danville High's exterior, bit his lip, and let out a sigh. He knew he had no other choice anyway. He was defeated, and all he needed to do was embrace the fact that his life had turned around. He was now a high-school teenager, just like what he saw on television.

"Thanks, Dad. I guess..."

Thomas grabbed his backpack and quickly left the hovermobile. Ferb watched him walk off with a concerned expression, but a small smile crept upon his face, and he flew the hovermobile into the sky and away from the school.

* * *

"Here we are, honey," Isabella said as she settled her hovermobile alongside the school.

"Thanks, Mom," replied Marie, flashing a smile at her mother. "Couldn't Dad have dropped me off? I'd love to hear what he'd have to say to me!"

"He's a bit caught up in work right now, Marie honey, but he tells me to send his love to you." Isabella returned Marie's smile with a tiny smile of her own, and all of a sudden, tears began to well up in her blue eyes, something that Marie noticed.

"Mom, are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, it's just..." Isabella sniffled and wiped the tears from her eyes, blinking continuously to hold back the pressure that was building up from her heart. "Oh, Marie, I just can't believe my little girl has grown up! It's been fourteen years, and yet...it's only felt...like..._fourteen seconds_... It's all too _fast_... Now I know exactly how you're Grandma Vivian felt when she first dropped me off here..."

Marie frowned and patted her mother's shoulder comfortingly. "Mom, it's okay," she said. "You know, I'm sad that I'm no longer a child. But hey, look at the bright side! I remember all of the stories you and Dad told me about your high-school years, and now, I'm gonna put them into good use! It's gonna be okay, Mom."

Isabella sniffled again and nodded. She then embraced Marie in a tight hug.

"I'll see you later, Marie."

"I'll see you, Mom." Marie released her mother and retrieved her backpack. "Bye."

Isabella sniffled once again as she watched Marie leave the car and walk towards the high school, a slight leap in her footsteps. She then sighed, forced a proud smile, and flew her hovermobile into the sky and away from the school.

* * *

Marie looked around in the sea of teenagers, searching for a particularly familiar face that she was anticipating. Finally, after minutes of searching, she finally found the person she was seeking out. At fourteen years old, Jasmine "Jazz" Rai had also grown like Marie, sporting slightly longer and shinier hair and a curvaceous body, but still wearing her purple T-shirt and sleek white shorts.

"Jazz!" cried Marie, waving her hand frantically. "Jazz, Jazz! Over here!"

Jazz looked around and spotted her friend after a few seconds. The Indian girl let out an excited squeal, and the two girls embraced each other.

"Oh, girl, how've you been?" Jazz asked upon breaking the hug.

"Quite excellent, FYI," Marie replied. "Can you believe it? Us, high-school students?"

"Ooh, it's gonna be so EXCITING!" Jazz clapped her hands together in pleasure and squealed again. "Oh, I can't wait till we get to our classes! Oh my goodness, pure excitement overload!" Just then, she looked around curiously. "Hey, Marie, where's Thomas?"

"Tommy?" Marie looked around as well. "Well, hopefully he's here too. He didn't sound too happy to come here, but I think we can help change his opinion."

"As well as his opinion about you..." Jazz whispered to herself.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, nothing! Let's just look for Thomas!"

Suddenly, she and Marie noticed that the teenagers had begun to crowd over towards a small tree, where there appeared to be some sort of commotion.

"What's going on over there?" Jazz asked.

"I don't know," replied Marie. "Let's go find out."

* * *

Thomas looked around in the sea of teenagers, hoping to find Marie and/or Jazz. He felt extremely uncomfortable in the company of other students whom he was very unfamiliar with, and seeing a couple of familiar faces, even if they belonged to people he'd choose not to associate himself with, would be a source of relief for him.

Suddenly, his shoulder abruptly collided with that of someone else's, unceremoniously pulling him out of his thoughts. Thomas stumbled back, his face instantly turning into a shade of bright crimson as a group of teenage boys looked at him with expressions of absolute loathing. They were all wearing common red-and-yellow-striped clothing with different numbers at the back, obviously the school athlete group.

"Sorry, sorry!" Thomas exclaimed.

"Watch it, dweeb!" one of the boys replied angrily, rubbing his shoulder. He had a crop of fine curly dirty-blond hair, gray eyes, and an extremely snobby smirk, which he used unrelentingly on Thomas as he watched on. "Loser."

Thomas blinked twice, gulped, and turned around, walking away in the opposite direction as he felt the boys' stares bear down on him like jackhammers. He knew that responding to those rude comments would earn him a dreaded spot of hatred and wrath from those boys, so he didn't even dare defend himself. Instead, he resumed his desperate search for Marie or Jazz, and maybe even Xavier and Fred. The pressure of being amongst high-school students began to increase...

Just then, he finally saw a familiar shade of red. Sighing with utmost relief, Thomas moved his way past several groups of teenagers, towards the crop of crimson hair, who appeared to be sitting under a small tree, alone. But when he managed to get through the crowd and gain full view of the person under the tree, he realized that it was a boy, who appeared to be around his age. His red hair was so long that it obscured both of his eyes and the upper part of his ears, and he wore a gray hoodie and black jeans. Thomas then noticed the guitar lying on the boy's lap; the boy was stroking it lovingly, as if it were his child.

"Well, well, well," a new voice said suddenly, "if it isn't little Stevie?"

The boy let out a groan of frustration, and Thomas glanced at a group of boys, which he identified as the same group of athletes he came across earlier; they were all advancing on the boy sitting under the tree. The boy with the dirty-blond hair was likely the leader, as he was at the front of the group.

Thomas looked back at the red-haired boy, who had stood up and tried to run, but the dirty-blond-haired boy caught up with him in seconds and grabbed him roughly by the hood, pulling it back, slightly choking his victim. Meanwhile, another boy grabbed the red-haired boy's guitar as he watched helplessly.

"Where do ya think _you're_ going, bro?" the dirty-blond-haired boy asked. "The fun's just getting started!"

"Let...me...go...Adam..._please_..." the red-haired boy pleaded, gagging from the pressure brought to his neck from his hoodie that was being pulled roughly, but the boy named Adam laughed jeeringly, as did his comrades. Thomas frowned angrily at what he was seeing before him.

"Oh, look at that!" he exclaimed. "Look at little Stevie! He's actually saying _please_ to me! That's _new_! And quite amusing! Come on, say it again, bro, say it again!"

The boy named Stevie didn't respond. Adam frowned and suddenly slapped Stevie hard in the cheek, earning a pained yelp from him.

"Come on, Stevie, say please AGAIN!" he ordered, smiling sadistically. He then pointed at Stevie's guitar, which was in the clutches of one of his acquaintances. "Or I'll have Brad smash your precious little violin, or whatever the hell that thing's called, up. It _does_ deserve a little makeover-"

"No, stop!" Stevie cried, tears appearing in his eyes.

Thomas growled, unable to take it anymore. Fists clenched, he walked up towards the group and yelled, "HEY! LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

Stevie, Adam, and Adam's friends all looked at him in surprise. Then, Adam smirked, clearly savoring the situation.

"Well, I'll be damned," he said. "You're that inattentive loser who bumped into me back there! What the hell's up with you, man? You have ADHD or something? 'Cause I was clearly in your way!" His friends all giggled as Adam put on a mock-concerned tone. "Oh, I'm sorry, do you know what ADHD means? Well, it's where you're damn stupid, that's what ADHD is! AHAHAHAHAHA!"

"I know very well what ADHD is, and I don't have it," snarled Thomas. "Now, let him go, or I'm reporting you."

Adam and his friends looked at one another, and then, they started mock-crying. Stevie, in the meantime, began shaking his head frantically at Thomas.

"Oh, no!" one boy cried. "He's gonna tell on us!"

"I don't wanna get timeout!" exclaimed another. "I wanted to play with my wittle toys!"

"Ooh, he's telling on us!" sobbed Adam jokingly. "I'm so scared! WAHHHHH!" He then let out a laugh and looked at a large boy. "Mike, take care of that squirt."

Mike nodded and advanced on Thomas, who prepared himself for a wedgie, or a noogie, or the stop-hitting-yourself trick.

Instead, he received a punch to the stomach.

Adam and his friends burst into laughter, and the former shoved Stevie to the ground as he walked up to Thomas, who fell to the ground, clutching his stomach in pain.

"Listen here, bitch," he snarled, smiling with pure malice, "this is _my_ school. Anyone who challenges my authority, or the authority of the entire Danville High athletics program, gets a severe punishment." Adam knelt down towards Thomas, leaning his face close to his. "So, let that be a lesson for you. Don't. Fuck. With. Me."

"Y-You're gonna be...in s-so m-much..._trouble_..." spat Thomas, coughing in-between.

Adam and his friends burst into laughter again, and the boy named Brad announced, "Hey, Danville High, you hear that? This guy right here thinks he's high and mighty and has the guts to stand up against Adam, who of course has brought Danville High's basketball team to victory last year! Does anyone tolerate that?"

Thomas rolled over and saw that about all of the other students that were at the main entrance had gathered around and formed a crowd, observing the events that had just transpired. To his shock, all of the students were booing at him and throwing an assortment of stuff at him.

_"What the heck's going on here?"_ he thought desperately. _"This isn't the Danville High my father told me about!"_

Adam continued his banter. "So, what's your name?"

Thomas didn't answer. He wasn't sure of what would happen if he responded...

Adam punched him in the stomach. "What's your goddamn name?!"

"Tommy?"

Thomas sighed in relief as Marie and Jazz entered the fray.

"What's going on here?" Jazz asked.

Suddenly, Adam stood up and straightened out his hair, while the other athletes ran over to Thomas's side and began inspecting the bodily damage inflicted upon him.

"I'm sorry about that, girls," Adam said. He pointed at Stevie, who was still lying on the ground. "_He_ was picking on that guy over there." He then pointed at Thomas.

"Tommy!" Marie exclaimed as she ran over to Thomas's side. "Tommy, are you okay?"

Thomas weakly nodded, smiling in relief at the sight of Marie's face.

"What _happened_ to you?"

Thomas prepared to answer, but he was suddenly silenced when Adam stepped over him and helped him up with Marie's help.

"I'm _really_ sorry about that," he said, looking at Marie. "It was my brother's doing." He pointed at Stevie again as the red-haired boy stood up. "You're gonna have to forgive him. He's been really emotional ever since our mom died four years ago. Started picking on kids and stealing stuff and the like. He was beating up your friend here for no reason. Fortunately, me and my friends came in just the nick of time and saved him."

Thomas's eyes twitched angrily and he prepared to protest, but Mike suddenly cracked his knuckles threateningly at him, silencing the teenager.

Adding to Thomas's rage even more was when Marie smiled kindly at Adam.

"Oh, thank you _so much_ for saving Tommy," she said.

"You're welcome." Adam smiled innocently, but Thomas recognized the sadistic triumph cleverly hidden in said smile. "What's your name? I haven't seen you around."

"Marie, Marie Flynn. I'm a freshman."

Thomas felt as if his heart had been torn in half when Adam took Marie's hand and kissed it formally.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Marie," he said. "The name's Adam. Adam Blake."

Marie blushed and suppressed a giggle. "Oh gee, thanks..." she replied. "It's a pleasure to meet you too, Adam."

To Thomas's relief, the ringing of the school bell pierced the air, and the students began to disperse, and that included Adam and his friends.

"Well, that's the bell," Adam said, looking at Marie, Thomas, and Jazz. "You three better get inside. Oh, and get him inspected by the nurse." He pointed at Thomas. "It looks as if Steven did a lot of damage to him this time." He shot a stern glare at Stevie. "Dad's gonna hear about this, bro."

Steven bit his lip before he retrieved his backpack and discarded guitar and walked off to the school. Adam followed close behind, smiling and waving at the trio.

"I'll see you around, Marie!" he called. He then smiled devilishly at Thomas. "And I'll see you soon..._Tommy_."

Thomas gulped fearfully.

* * *

"Well, you've got some bruising on your stomach, Mr. Fletcher," the nurse concluded as she procured a small contraption from her pocket. "This Heal-O Laser should do the trick..." She fired a laser at Thomas's stomach bruises, which cleared up in a matter of seconds. "There! All done! Now, you'd better get to class. Here's your passes for you and your friends. Bye!"

Thomas silently left the office and found Marie and Jazz sitting on a nearby bench. Both of them joined his sides as he left the administration office and entered a long hallway, which was occupied by a few loitering students.

"Here, your passes for your class," Thomas said, handing individual passes to Marie and Jazz.

"Thanks, Tommy," replied Marie. "It's so nice of Adam to come and save you from that horrible Steven-"

"He didn't," interrupted Thomas.

"Excuse me?"

"He didn't save me from Steven. _I_ saved Steven from _him_. Or...at least I _tried_ to..."

"What're talking about, Tom?" Jazz asked. "That Adam boy looks like a nice fellow."

"And quite cute too..." added Marie, sighing dreamily.

Thomas stopped in his tracks. "Cute?" he asked. "Cute? CUTE? Marie, you're calling him CUTE?!"

"Well, that's kinda the truth..." Marie replied, blushing.

"Marie, the guy's a complete, utter PSYCHOPATH! He's playing you! You and Jazz! He and his goons were picking on Steven, I stepped in and tried to stop them, and they suddenly punch me senseless! ...I'm really shocked at this school! None of the other students did anything to stop 'em! No, they actually went IN on the bullying too! Makes me wonder if the teachers also bully students-"

"What're you talking about, Tommy? I don't think Adam's capable of that kind of stuff-"

"WELL, YOU WEREN'T THERE WHEN IT HAPPENED!"

Marie and Jazz stepped back, shocked from Thomas's outburst. Biting his lip, the teenage boy stomped further down the hallway.

"Whatever!" he snarled. "I'm gonna be going to my homeroom now!"

The two girls watched their friend with concern as he stalked down the hallway.

"Oh, Tommy..." said Marie.

* * *

Following the instructions that were left by the automated phone call sent to his home from the school a few weeks ago, Thomas walked up a staircase that led up to the school's second floor, and then followed an intricate maze of hallways lined with lockers and classroom doors, until he finally found Room G26B, the location of his homeroom. Inside was a science classroom full of approximately twenty students, all of whom were looking at him. Remembering that a good portion of the school had been there when Adam and his gang attacked him, Thomas nervously avoided eye contact with the students and instead faced the teacher, a tall and stocky middle-aged man with a balding head and wearing square-shaped glasses.

"What's your name, young man?" the teacher asked.

"Thomas Fletcher."

"Fletcher, Fletcher, Fletcher..." He pointed the pen he was holding at a desk located at the back. "You sit over there, beside Blake."

Thomas's eyes widened in surprise as he recognized the familiar crop of red hair sitting at his assigned desk. Smiling slightly, he walked over to the desk and sat down on it. As the teacher began a droning lecture about the school, Steven leaned in a bit closer towards Thomas.

"Thanks, man," he whispered.

"You're welcome," replied Thomas silently.

"So, the name's Tommy?"

"Actually, it's Thomas. I don't like being called Tommy."

"Huh. People call me Stevie, but I don't like that name. I prefer Steven instead."

Thomas looked at Steven, and the two boys smiled at each other, knowing that they had finally found the first upside to high school.

* * *

**Next Episode Summary:** The first day of school continues, and Marie and Thomas continue to learn more about Danville High School as they become acquainted with certain crowds, which could lead to further tensions in their relationship...

* * *

**A/N:** Adam's such a bastard, isn't he? Well, you're gonna have to deal with him for a while; he's now a recurring character, alongside Steven. And yes, Danville High is quite the hostile environment, as you've just seen. It's a good thing my school doesn't go through that kind of crap.

I'd like to thank those who reviewed:

**DizzyPirate:** Well, we'll see how the series format goes. It might not even be a series format, but just a chronicle of events explained in story arcs. I might go for that instead, to make things flow smoother.

**damonika2009:** That's great to hear! :D

**BlytheHasFreckles:** Here's the chapter you've been waiting for!

**Billy Arratoon (guest reviewer)**

**random guy (guest reviewer):** Well, at least this chapter was longer! :D

**Deborahpflover**

**humanusscriptor**

**woodland5 (guest reviewer):** No, I meant a couple of "Simpsons" fics I wrote in the past. They're now deleted.

**Proxus**

Well, hope you enjoyed this chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!


	2. Our First Day of School, Part 2

**IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS:**

-Marie Flynn DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Angelus19 and sam-ely-ember.  
-Thomas Fletcher DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Melty19.  
-Jasmine Rai DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to sam-ely-ember and Melty19.  
-Bridgette Clark DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Orthgirl123, Angelus19, and sam-ely-ember.

* * *

**Episode 2: Our First Day of School, Part 2**

* * *

Stepping inside the cafeteria as the noontime sun shined through the windows, Thomas sighed with frustration as he observed the large crowd of students that were talking noisily to each other and eating their food. Even though he had made his first friend at Danville High, he couldn't find any more reasons to enjoy high-school.

After homeroom, which had been a bore due to the teacher's droning lecture that would lull him to sleep, there was first period, which was Geometry. Although it was just the first day, there were no lectures, of course, but Thomas spotted a number of various mathematical equations and shapes that looked extremely complicated and intricate. He also disliked the teacher, a younger woman named Alana Brass, who seemed rather excessively enthusiastic in the subject of Geometry and couldn't stop telling students in all of its upsides. The only upside he could find with Geometry was that Steven was in the same class.

Then came second period, English. Though English was something Thomas liked, he still didn't find anything enjoyable from the class. The teacher, an older, rather frail-looking man named Gus Henderson, seemed to be in his first days of senility, sometimes straying off from the lectures into extensive rambles about his past and also occasionally asking what the time was. To make things worse, he didn't know anyone there.

Next was third period, which was Orchestra. A fan of music, Thomas had been expecting the particular class to be his favorite. He was wrong. First of all, he had been pitted with a violin, which was extremely different from the electric guitars he was so familiar with. Second of all, the teacher, a heavyset woman named Ellie De Luca, was strict and demanding, having already made her class perform and yelling at those who were terrible or confused. That included Thomas, naturally. Fortunately for him, in the class also was Steven, who was given a terrible-sounding saxophone, despite the fact that he appeared to be a die-hard fan of the guitar as well.

Finally, lunchtime came, and Thomas only had money for his lunch. Walking towards the kitchen, he found Steven standing in the short line that had already formed.

"Hey, Steven," greeted Thomas.

Steven turned around, his hair flying, and he smiled. "Oh, hey Thomas," he replied. "God, Orchestra was hell, wasn't it?"

"Some of the girls looked like they were gonna cry." Thomas shook his head. "High school sucks."

"Tell me about it. The number-one worry, we're gonna have to deal with _Adam_ for three years." Steven shuddered severely as he picked out an apple.

"What's his problem anyway?" Thomas asked as he began choosing his own food.

"He's just a stuck-up psychopath who feels that everything's his property. Basketball, the school, especially girls... My dad's that way too. And guess what? He is the assistant basketball coach and also one of the Health teachers, so we're gonna have to deal with him too."

"And you deal with the both of them at home? That sucks."

A strange expression flooded Steven's face, despite the fact that Thomas couldn't see much of it due to the long hair.

"You have no idea..." he said quietly, more to himself than to Thomas.

"Hey, hey, hey!" a familiar voice called. "If it isn't lil' Stevie, and his new best friend, Tommy!"

"Oh, dear God..." Steven moaned.

Thomas frowned, and he turned around to look into Adam and his selfish smirk while Adam's accomplices rounded up on his sides. "Leave us alone, Adam," he said.

Adam's smirk just widened as Brad shoved Thomas to the ground. Nearby students began to laugh and point at the fallen teenager jeeringly while Steven helped his friend up on his feet. Thomas looked over his shoulder to see if any adults were present, but to his shock, one of Adam's friends was chatting up the present cook.

"Ooh, look at Stevie, helping out lil' Tommy!" exclaimed Brad. "Do you _like_ Tommy, wittle Stevie? Are you gay for Tommy, Stevie?"

"Shut up," Steven spat.

"Tommy and Stevie sitting on a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Adam suddenly chanted, and he was joined in by his friends and some of the other students. Thomas gritted his teeth furiously, the rage building up inside him. He had this uncontrollable urge to punch Adam in the face until he bled...

A fist suddenly flew, and Adam collapsed to the ground, clutching his cheek and groaning in pain. Thomas's jaw dropped open, and he, Steven, and the others looked at Adam's assailant. He was a tall boy with long, oily black hair and wore a brown trench-coat, a black shirt underneath, black jeans, and black boots. And currently, he was wearing a furious but triumphant look on his face that bordered sadism and compulsion to continue.

"Leave them alone, Adam!" the boy snarled savagely at the athlete.

Adam looked up at his attacker, blinked, and then flashed a smirk. He prepared to say something to the trench-coat-wearing student when someone burst through the crowd and knelt at his side in concern, to which the athlete began moaning in fallacious pain. Thomas felt his heart snap in half again upon identifying the student at the bully's side as none other than Marie.

"Adam, are you okay?" Marie asked. "Where does it hurt?"

"No, no, I'm fine, Marie, I'm fine," replied Adam confidently, smiling at her. "I'm fine, now that you're here."

Marie blushed, and Thomas's face turned red in rage. Marie then looked at Adam's attacker, her face now furious.

"You should be ashamed of yourself, punching a nice guy like that!" she screamed.

The boy merely scoffed at her and turned around, walking away.

"He deserved it," he said. He then added, to Marie's confusion, "Popular."

Everyone watched the student go, Thomas and Steven in keen interest, Marie, Adam, and the other students in pure loathing. Once the student vanished from sight, Adam stood up from the ground and touched Marie's shoulder, while the scene at the cafeteria returned to its former state when the cook returned.

"Hey, thanks for being concerned for me," he said.

"You're welcome, Adam," replied Marie bashfully. "I think a nice guy like you doesn't deserve a beating like that."

_"Yes, he does,"_ Thomas thought angrily.

Adam smiled kindly, but Thomas and Steven could see the triumph in the fact that he snagged himself a pretty girl, triumph that would make a cat sick.

"Hey, why don't you come eat with me and my friends?" Adam suddenly asked. "Our table's wide open for everyone, especially you!"

Marie's eyes widened, and she smiled widely. "Oh, that sounds REALLY good!" she exclaimed. "Can my friends come?"

"Of course!"

"Alright, you go on ahead with Thomas; I'll get Jazz!"

"No," Thomas replied tersely.

Marie looked at her friend. "What, Tommy?"

"There's no way I'm eating with Adam, Marie."

"Why? He rescued you from Steven...and why are you hanging out with him anyway?"

"Because he's-" Thomas began.

"Don't, Thomas," interrupted Steven, shaking his head in disapproval. "It's too late. Your friend's caught up in Adam's shit now; there's no bringing her back."

"Don't listen to him, Thomas!" protested Marie. "He was picking on you earlier!"

Thomas blinked in shock, and then, he frowned and turned his back on her. "If only you knew, Marie. Goodbye. Come on, Steven, let's get some food."

And the two teenagers left Marie, Adam, and Adam's friends behind without a word. Marie was wearing an expression of concern for Thomas, while Adam and his gang were secretly wearing looks of triumph. However, Marie realized that there was no convincing Thomas, and she left the cafeteria, followed by the athletes.

* * *

"He seriously did that?" Jazz asked in shock.

"Yeah," Marie replied softly as the two girls followed Adam and his gang towards a packed table occupied by athletes and girls. "I've never seen him so determined in a cause like that. But I don't understand why he doesn't like Adam. I think he's a nice guy."

"Here we are, girls," Adam spoke up, gesturing to a vacant spot on the table. "Guys, gals, these are Marie and Jazz, they're freshmen. Let's welcome to the group!"

"Hey, Marie and Jazz!" chorused the other occupants of the table.

"Hi, guys," replied Marie shyly, blushing in embarrassment from the instant popularity. She and Jazz sat down next to a blonde girl with light-blue eyes and wearing a blue T-shirt with a B on it, a long-sleeved blue-and-purple-striped undershirt (both shirts exposed her lower abdomen), and dark-blue jeans. The girl looked at them with interest and wrapped her arm around Marie's shoulders, who was closer.

"Hey girls, I'm Bridgette, Bridgette Clark," she greeted.

"Hey, Bridgette," replied Marie and Jazz simultaneously.

"So, new blood, eh?" Bridgette released her arm-grip on Marie and leaned in closer, smiling a friendly smile. "I know what it's like, being new and all. I happen to be a freshman myself! Summers ago, I had a really bad feeling that I was gonna _die_ of fright. But it was a really good thing for me to have older friends like them to prepare me for the expectations brought by high school."

Bridgette gestured to the only two other girls sitting at the table. One had long, flowing dark-brown hair and wore a strapless shirt that hugged around her torso and tight, unnaturally short white shorts. The other also had brown hair, but it was shorter and lighter in color, and she wore a spaghetti-strap shirt that, like the other girl, was tight around her torso and seemed to put a lot of emphasis on her endowed chest, and a tiny purple skirt. Marie blinked twice, feeling a bit intimidated by the girls' revealing choice of clothing, as well as Bridgette's clothing, but she knew better than to speak out about it. Jazz didn't react either.

"Girls, meet Sasha-" Bridgette pointed at the long-haired girl with the strapless shirt, who smiled and waved at them. "-and good old Rosa." She pointed at the short-haired girl with the tiny skirt, who also smiled at them.

"I must say, girl," Sasha said, pointing at Jazz, "I like the hair! It's so gorgeous!"

Jazz smiled shyly and clutched her hair, stroking it. "Thanks..." she replied.

Meanwhile, Rosa looked at Marie with interest. "Say, I've seen you before somewhere..." she said. "Aren't you Marie _Flynn_?"

The attentions of everyone else at the table were suddenly caught, and all of their faces turned at Marie's direction.

"Yeah..." Marie replied shyly.

"OMG, your dad's so COOL!" exclaimed Bridgette, procuring a device from her pocket, which Marie recognized as one of her father's inventions from a decade ago. "Oh, his pCherry really turned my life around, it's so AWESOME!"

"Thanks."

"Does your dad make stuff for you all the time?" asked Rosa.

"Sorta. But I make stuff of my own too."

The girls suddenly started squealing in excitement, and the boys looked at each other in approval, while Adam smiled, impressed at Marie.

"So, can you perhaps make something for us?" he asked.

Marie suddenly frowned and looked down at the ground. "I can't."

"Why not?" Rosa asked.

"I mean, I can make something good, sure, but I'm gonna need the help of my friend Thomas. Without him, my inventions cannot work properly."

"Well, go get this Thomas character!" an athlete suggested.

"I can't." Marie shook her head. "He doesn't seem to like Adam."

Bridgette scoffed. "What a loser, then! Who _doesn't_ like Adam?!"

Marie's eyes widened, and she stood up from the table. "Don't call Tommy a loser!" she cried defensively. "He's my friend, even if we don't agree on certain things!"

"Yeah, Brid," Adam added. "Don't call Marie's friends losers, it's quite unethical!" However, he gave her, as well as his other friends, a look that can only be identified by them as a signal that Thomas now belonged to the group they picked on.

Bridgette nodded and looked at Marie, replying, "Yeah, sorry. It's just that Adam's a great guy."

"I _know_!" exclaimed Marie. "I tried to tell him that, but he wouldn't listen to me!" She sighed. "So, no, I don't think I can make you something that actually works."

"It's okay, girl," replied Sasha. "We can wait."

"So, how do you know about me, Rosa? I don't make any television appearances of my own!"

"Yeah you do. Well, you did, four years ago."

Marie's eyes widened, memories flooding back to her. When she was nine years old, she and Thomas were kidnapped by two men identified as their fathers' disgraced arch-rivals, Thaddeus Fort and Thor Flagstad. With the help of Thaddeus's older sister Mandy, the inventors carried out a larger scheme to destroy Phineas and Ferb's reputation as well as their relationship with Marie and Thomas, a scheme that nearly destroyed the entire Tri-State Area and severely compromised Phineas's life. But the trio had been defeated, and now, Mandy was dead, Thaddeus was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, and Thor had mysteriously vanished, but guaranteed to never return in the lives of the Flynn and the Fletcher families. However, traumatic memories of the incident still bore an imprint on Marie's mind.

Noticing Marie's reaction, Jazz shook her head and said, "I don't think it's a good time to be mentioning that, Rosa."

"Oh, sorry."

Marie shook her head to clear her head of her thoughts, smiled optimistically, and replied, "It's okay, Rosa."

"Well, let's get ourselves out of that murky subject," Bridgette said. "Why don't we talk about something else?"

"Like what, Bridgette?"

"Your clothing."

* * *

Thomas growled in disgust as he watched Marie and Jazz converse with Adam and his group of friends. Shaking his head in disapproval, he continued to lead Steven across the cafeteria, looking around for a couple of particularly familiar faces. Finally, he found them: two teenage boys, about a year older than him and Steven. One had blond hair and bright-blue eyes, and wore a white T-shirt with brown stripes and green shoulders and green pants. The other had brown hair, a goatee,

"Hey, Xavier, Fred," Thomas greeted.

Xavier turned around and smiled. "Thomas, how are ya, man?" he asked. "Hey, how's your first day as a Danville High freshman?"

"Terrible," spat Thomas.

"Well, first days are always like that."

Just then, Fred spotted Steven, who was standing behind Thomas, a bit shyly. "Hey, who's your friend?" he asked.

"His name's Steven. He's a friend of mine."

"Well, at least you managed to find a friend, dude," Xavier said, smiling. "That's gotta be something for a first day, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess it is." Thomas and Steven sat down on unoccupied chairs, to which the former began talking further. "Xavier, Fred, you two know this school and about everyone here like the back of your hands. Do you two happen to know anything about this person named Adam Blake? He's a basketball player here?"

"Ah, Adam," replied Xavier. "Nice fella, that guy."

"Damn it," Thomas snarled.

"I don't know, bro," Fred said. "There's something about him I don't like. It's that look in his eyes..."

"Oh, thank goodness, I wanted to find someone I knew who hated him!"

"Well, not exactly-"

"Well, you're close, Fred," interrupted Thomas quickly. "Is there anything about him you can tell me? Anything bad?"

"I've heard rumors, Thomas, but I can't confirm to you their authenticity..."

"I don't care, Fred. Tell me what you've heard."

Fred raised an eyebrow. "Why are you so focused on this guy?"

"I'll tell you why," replied Steven suddenly. "He's been picking on me and Thomas. And plus, his friend Marie's taken an interest to him."

Xavier smiled mischievously. "Ooh, is Thomas _jealous_?" he asked craftily. "Did Adam take your Marie?..."

"I AM NOT JEALOUS!" shouted Thomas furiously, startling the Johnson brothers. "Fred, please, just tell me something that'll make Marie distrust him! I just don't want her hanging around with that goddamn, lying, good-for-nothing psychopath!"

"Well..." Fred replied, "there's this persisting rumor that he uses steroids to juice himself up before his games..."

"D'you have any proof of that?"

"Does it look like I have a bag of steroids in my pocket, Thomas?"

"He doesn't use steroids," piped Steven. "All he needs to do is look at himself in a mirror and he gets juiced before a game."

Xavier raised an eyebrow at the red-haired boy. "Hey, you don't happen to be Adam's _brother_ Steven, are you?"

"Unfortunately, yes..."

"So, is it true?" Xavier leaned closer towards Steven. "Are you adopted or what?"

Though people couldn't see it, Steven blinked in shock. "He said _that_?"

"Yep," replied Fred. "He told practically the whole school that."

Steven blinked again; Thomas, realizing that the mood was becoming tense, addressed Fred again.

"Is there anything else about Adam you can tell us?"

Fred shrugged. "I'm not really sure, Thomas. Why don't you ask Steven, he's Adam's brother!"

Thomas looked at Steven, only to find that he had disappeared. "Steven?" He turned to Xavier. "Hey, where'd Steven go?"

Before Xavier could respond...

"YOU BASTARD!" Steven's voice echoed throughout the cafeteria. "YOU TOLD THE ENTIRE SCHOOL I WAS **ADOPTED**!"

Thomas, Xavier, and Fred stood from the table and ran towards Adam's table, where they found Steven pointing a finger accusingly at the athlete. Marie had stood up and stepped between Steven and Adam, her arms outstretched in defense of the latter.

"Hey, leave us alone, Steven!" Marie scolded.

"I'm not adopted!" yelled Steven, ignoring Marie and looking over her shoulder, directly at Adam, who was secretly smirking at him; this amplified the freshman's anger. "Damn it, Adam! Why must you do this to me?!"

"Isn't that the truth?" Adam replied innocently, shrugging. "Aren't you adopted?"

Steven's eye twitched, but before he could snap, Thomas held him back. Marie crossed her arms, looking at Thomas angrily.

"What's going on here, Tommy?" she asked.

"What's going on here?" repeated Thomas. "Your friend Adam is telling total nonsense to the entire school, that's what, apparently!"

"Now why in the world would Adam wanna do that?"

"Yeah, Tommy," Adam replied in a cleverly-disguised mocking tone that Thomas and Steven could only recognize. "It's the truth, Steven's adopted!"

"GODDAMN BASTARD!" Steven screeched, and he flew at Adam, roughly pushing aside Marie. In defense of his friend, Brad grabbed a nearby water bottle and emptied its contents on Steven's face, stopping him in his tracks. His wet red hair now plastered to his face, Steven was dumbfounded, frozen in his position. A minute later, he let out a bloodcurdling scream that caught the attention of the entire cafeteria, and then, he burst into a sprint, dashing out of the cafeteria.

"STEVEN!" Thomas called, but Steven didn't stop. He then threw an enraged glare at Brad. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!"

"What's up with you, Tommy?" Marie asked. "Brad was just trying to defend Adam-"

"THAT'S IT! THAT'S **IT**!" roared Thomas at the top of his lungs. "MARIE, IF YOU WON'T BELIEVE ME OR STEVEN, THEN I GUESS WE CAN'T BE FRIENDS ANYMORE!" Marie gasped in horror, and Jazz stood up, preparing to defend her friend, but Thomas pointed at her. "YOU TOO, JAZZ! I NEVER REALLY LIKED HOW YOU KEPT COMMENTING ABOUT ME AND MARIE BEING IN A R-" He stopped short. "I NEVER REALLY LIKED YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT ME!"

And with that, Thomas stormed out of the cafeteria after Steven. Marie prepared to go after him, but Adam took her hand.

"Don't, Marie," he said. "It's too late. Your friend's caught up in Stevie's shit now; there's no bringing him back."

Knowing that Adam was right, Marie merely looked after Thomas as he left the cafeteria. She sighed sadly.

"Oh, Tommy..." she whispered.

"Well..." Xavier commented, "if you'll excuse us...me and Fred will just be...leaving..."

* * *

"Steven?!" called Thomas as he stepped outside. "Steven, where are you?!"

The area outside the cafeteria was occupied by few students, so it wasn't hard for Thomas to eventually register a soft weeping that was coming near a fence with a dark-green canvas placed over it. He looked at the fence and found Steven sitting against it, his face buried in his palms as he continued to sob.

"Steven? Steven, are you okay?"

"Go away, Thomas!" sobbed Steven.

"I'm not going away, Steven! You know, you crying means that Adam won."

"I know." Steven shook his head. "Oh, I know, I know, I know. It's just...I'm afraid of water..."

Thomas raised an eyebrow. "You're afraid of _water_? Brad just splashed you with some bottled water-"

"It doesn't matter! Whether I'm swimming in a pool, or taking a shower, or getting splashed by bottled water...memories come back..."

"Memories? Memories of what?"

"I don't wanna tell you!"

"Come on, Steven, you can tell me. I'm your friend-"

"Thank you, Thomas, but I cannot. I just can't. Just...just leave me alone..."

Thomas frowned, knowing that he didn't want to leave Steven. So, he sat down next to him and patted his back comfortingly as Steven continued to weep.

* * *

Lunchtime ended several minutes later, and by that time, Steven had recovered from his stupor and was now walking back inside the school with Thomas. As the two friends walked down the hallways, they suddenly spotted the same trench-coat-wearing boy who attacked Adam; he was stalking down the hallway with another boy who was also wearing a trench-coat. The two looked at the duo with heightening interest. They prepared to go after them when Thomas bumped into someone.

"Hey, watch where you're going!"

Thomas groaned. "Jazz?"

"Oh hello, Tom," Jazz said sarcastically, crossing her arms. "You caused quite a ruckus back there."

Thomas shouldered the Indian girl as he and Steven walked past her. "Damn right I did, Jazz," he snarled.

"Marie's very disappointed in you, Tom, you know."

Thomas twirled around to look at Jazz, a frustrated look on his face. "Well, that's what she gets for siding with that Adam bastard!" he shouted. "Same goes for you! Now, if you'll excuse me, Jazz, Steven and I have to find our Health class. It appears we've missed Room B04A..."

Jazz put her hands on her hips. "Well, FYI, Room B04A's _that_ way." She pointed off at the opposite direction. "I happen to be going there too, BTW."

"Please don't abbreviate certain phrases," commented Thomas as he and Steven walked alongside Jazz.

When the trio found the classroom and stepped inside, Thomas stopped in his tracks. He could recognize two familiar faces: Fred, Adam, Brad, and naturally Marie, who was sitting between Adam and a blonde girl with a B on her shirt. Marie's eyes locked onto his, and then, the two looked away angrily.

"Alright, ladies!" a voice boomed. Instinctively, Steven sat down on the nearest vacant seat, trembling slightly. At first confused, Thomas examined the Health teacher and realized why Steven had a reason to be worried: the teacher was large and muscular, but it wasn't the intimidating physical features that Thomas noticed; it was the man's hair, which was dirty-blond and curly, much like Adam's.

"What's your major malfunction, boy?!" chided Mr. Blake as he stared into Thomas's eyes. "Get into a seat!"

Several students laughed as Thomas sheepishly went over to the remaining vacant seat, which was behind Marie's and beside Jazz's. He cast a glance at Steven, who was now trembling more severely as he listened to his father's lecture.

* * *

After Health and the two other periods, World History and P.E., passed, school finally ended. Thomas and Steven silently walked through the main entrance of Danville High along with dozens of other students, all of whom looked rather delighted for the school day to wrap up.

"Man, your dad knows how to enforce his authority in a classroom," Thomas commented.

"Please don't talk about it," replied Steven.

"Oh. Sorry." Thomas then spotted the hovermobile belonging to his father, who waved at him. "Well, that's my dad, I gotta go. See ya tomorrow?"

Steven looked at Thomas and smiled. "See ya tomorrow."

Thomas nodded at Steven before walking towards Ferb's hovermobile. Getting inside, he let out a frustrated sigh: it had been a very long day.

"So, Thomas," Ferb said, "how was your first day at high school?"

"Terrible," replied Thomas.

* * *

Even though she was surrounded by a large crowd of friends who appreciated her for who she was, Marie couldn't help but feel that something was missing. She knew what it was: it was her friendship with her longtime friend Thomas. She began to regret not considering Thomas's side of the story first before jumping to conclusions, and now, her future with Thomas as a friend was now extremely grim.

As she walked through the main entrance, Marie distinguished the hovermobile belonging to her mother.

"I see my mom," she said. "I gotta go. Bye, everyone!"

"See ya, girl!" exclaimed Bridgette, embracing her in a hug, quickly being joined by Jazz, Sasha, and Rosa. "Don't forget to get an autograph from your father for us!"

"I won't forget! See ya!" Marie waved at all of her friends before walking off, a larger leap in her step than from before. But once she got out of her friends' range, she reduced her walking as she continued to delve into her thoughts. She began to wonder on what would happen when she saw Thomas again...

"Hi, Marie!" Isabella exclaimed as Marie got into the car. "So, how was your first day at high school?"

"Excellent!" lied Marie.

* * *

Little do Thomas, or Marie know that someone had been watching them the entire day.

* * *

**Next Episode Summary:** As Marie becomes more adjusted to living life as a popular student, Thomas becomes closer to Steven, and together, they begin to show an interest towards a group of trench-coat-wearing, rebellious students.

* * *

**A/N:** And now more conflicts and questions are established! Obviously, Adam's quite an ass, and unfortunately, we're gonna see a couple more particular victories on his part. But we'll also focus on Steven, whom I'm sure will become lovable compared to his brother.

As for the OC of Bridgette (that's right, she is an OC), you can find her on Angelus19 and sam-ely-ember's stories and drawings. In it, she's Marie's rival for Thomas's affections. I will spoil to you that I am retaining that attribute in this story, but the circumstances that get her in that position will be quite different...and will involve a little tragedy... ;) ;) ;)

And...can you guess who this person at the end is?

Well, I'd like to thank those who reviewed:

**damonika2009:** Well, it'll get better, but not in a while.

**DizzyPirate:** Why, thanks for thinking the chapter flowed better!

**BlueLightningXD:** If you're talking about Antonio, I realized that too. But actually, no, there's no connection, I'll tell you that.

**random guy (guest reviewer):** Mixed feelings? That's a comment I'm surprised at. Characters who are written as asses are usually hated. But whatever. I guarantee you that Adam's gonna bring some excitement into later episodes.

**Deborahpflover:** Thanks for the review! And Marie doesn't believe Thomas because she is, of course, her father's daughter. And besides, Adam's a psychopath, he is adeptly skilled at lying good.

**woodland5 (guest reviewer):** XD

**DMC7500:** Hey, welcome! Well, the only comics I've ever read were a couple of Batman graphic novels, so I don't know who Black Adam is. Thanks for the review!

**humanusscriptor:** Since you'd otherwise be the only review I don't respond to since I already PM'ed you, I'll just say thanks!

Well, hope you enjoyed this chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!


	3. With Friends Like These

**A/N:** Hey, everyone! Before we begin, I'd like to announce to y'all that I have some more Marie-and-Thomas-centric fics in the planning stages, all of which are part of the same canon as this story and "Taken Away"! It's essentially a universe along the style of KicsterAsh's "Reinventing High School" series. The action is here primarily, but there will also be a couple of related one-shots (like BlytheHasFreckles' one-shots based on her main P&F story), a fic whose premise I will not disclose yet, and a Q&A fic. On a side-note, I am also considering some sort of non-canon or semi-canon AU fic. Hopefully this universe kicks off well! :D

Enough chitchat. On with the chapter! ENJOY!

**IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS:**

-Marie Flynn DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Angelus19 and sam-ely-ember.  
-Thomas Fletcher DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Melty19.  
-Jasmine Rai DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to sam-ely-ember and Melty19.  
-Bridgette Clark DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Orthgirl123, Angelus19, and sam-ely-ember.

* * *

**Episode 3: With Friends Like These**

* * *

_**September 5, 2035**_

Thomas growled angrily as he watched Marie talk to Adam, smiling and giggling giddily alongside Jazz as he told them a tale about one of his basketball games, which involved details that seemed rather implausible. Right now, it was fourth period, which was Health class, and students were still coming in, returning from their lockers or the cafeteria. The students that were already present in the classroom were all engaged in conversation with their peers, save Thomas and Steven, both of whom were sitting on opposite ends of the room.

Just then, Thomas felt something pointy hit his temple. Looking down on the floor, he saw that it was a paper airplane. Picking it up, he unfolded the paper and cringed at the sight of the crudely-drawn sketch of him and Steven sitting on a tree, engaged in certain activity. Growling again, he looked around and spotted Brad and Mike struggling to hold in bouts of jeering laughter.

In a blind fit of rage, Thomas crumpled up the paper and threw it as hard as he could at the two athletes; the paper hit Brad squarely in the face. Though it was just a crumpled piece of paper that didn't do much damage, Brad suddenly fell out of his desk with a large amount of dramatic emphasis upon being hit.

"OW!" he exclaimed. "Ow! Oh, my head! My aching head! Why'd you hit me, Tommy?!"

"WHAT?!" shouted Thomas.

"MR. FLETCHER!" Mr. Blake stood from his desk, his attention caught by Brad's little show. "Any form of horseplay is NOT tolerated in this class! Fifty push-ups, NOW!"

"But, Mr. Blake-" Thomas began.

"THAT'S AN ORDER, BOY!"

Thomas glanced at Steven, who signaled him to just do what his father said. Sighing in anger and defeat, he went down on the carpet floor and attempted to do push-ups, but he was only able to do five when he began to tire out. His arms gave way, and he collapsed onto the floor, forcing himself to endure a sea of jeering laughter and pointed fingers. Thomas laid on his back, clutching his aching arms.

"FLETCHER!" snapped Mr. Blake. "I don't wanna see any lollygagging! Start over, and do it properly this time!"

"But, but, Mr. Blake-"

"Fletcher, if you dare speak against my rules again, it's a referral!"

The classroom began to laugh again, and Thomas could clearly see Mr. Blake relishing in the punishment he was giving him. He then glanced at Marie, who was looking at him pitifully, but didn't seem to be doing anything to defend him. Then, the corners of his eyes caught Adam, who was giving him a triumphant smirk. Knowing that there was nothing else that can be done, Thomas re-positioned himself and resumed the push-ups. And, just like last time, he was only able to do a few when he tired out and collapsed again.

"I can't believe this, Fletcher!" Mr. Blake exclaimed, struggling to hold back his own laughter as the classroom laughed even harder. "Didn't you do push-ups yesterday in P.E.? Didn't they even teach you?"

"The teacher didn't, Mr. Blake," replied Thomas. "It was an introductory lecture, like all the other classes. Please, Mr. Blake, I can't do that many push-ups yet. Can't I do something else instead as punishment-"

"That's out of the question, Fletcher. You know what, I'll just be kind to you and increase the push-up number to a hundred. Now, let's go, go, GO! We haven't got all day! You're stalling the class, Fletcher, let's go!"

"Come on, Dad!" exclaimed Steven, standing up defensively. "We did nothing in P.E. to prepare ourselves for doing push-ups! Leave Thomas alone!"

"For the last time, boy," Mr. Blake snapped, "call me 'sir'! And no, I cannot, quote, leave your friend alone!" He put a lot of jeering emphasis on the last four words of his sentence. "He's been roughhousing in MY classroom, and troublemakers in MY classroom are to be punished the correct way!"

"Please, Mr. Blake!" Marie exclaimed as she quickly got out of her desk and helped the fallen Thomas up to his feet, to his shock and relief. "Thomas can't do that many push-ups yet, just give him something else as punishment!"

The teacher prepared to protest, but then, he spotted Adam, who secretly gave him a thumbs-up. Mr. Blake then nodded and looked at Marie, smiling kindly.

"Of course, Ms. Flynn," he replied. "My apologies, the basketball team just suffered a bad loss last week and it's getting to my nerves. Okay, Fletcher, how 'bout you just carry these boxes to Room M21A." He pointed at a stack of small but heavy-looking boxes. "As a result, you're gonna have to miss the first part of my lesson." The teacher then addressed the entire classroom. "And everyone is not allowed to share their notes with Mr. Fletcher here. He must figure out what he missed on his own, is that understood?!"

The other students nodded or voiced statements in agreement. Mr. Blake nodded, then looked at Thomas and gave him a smile while Marie walked back to her desk.

"Alright, let's go, Fletcher."

Wanting to do anything other than fifty or a hundred push-ups, Thomas merely nodded meekly, gathered the boxes, and prepared to leave the classroom. Before he left, he looked at Marie, and she looked back.

He mouthed, "Thanks."

Marie just nodded before resuming her conversation with Adam.

* * *

Thomas sighed with relief as he wandered down the hallway, carrying the boxes as their weight began to take a toll on his arms already. He was relieved that Marie had finally come to his defense, proving to him that she still retained the kindness and compassion that he knew when they were younger.

"Need a hand?"

Thomas looked back and saw Steven running up to him.

"How'd you get out of class?" Thomas asked.

"I asked my dad if I could go to the bathroom," replied Steven. "Naturally, he doesn't care where I go. Here, let me hold a couple…" He took the uppermost two boxes on Thomas's stack, dividing the workload in half, and the two teenagers walked down the hallway.

"Thanks."

"No problem. ...Hey, I'm really sorry about what happened back there, in class. My dad's always like that, domineering, controlling, unforgiving, and sadistic. You should see him at home. It's more of a military base."

Thomas sighed in frustration. "He's as much of a bastard as Adam is."

"Yep. The worst part, he does it to me and me only. Adam's the favorite son, being an athlete and all. Me, I'm just the puny, ugly duckling."

"Oh. I'm sorry." Thomas looked at Steven. "How about your mom?"

"Huh? Oh, my mom, she's out of the picture. Adam's right about one thing, she died four years ago. That's when my dad went all-out nuts on me."

"Oh. I'm really sorry. How'd she die?"

A strange look appeared in Steven's eyes as he replied, "I don't wanna talk about it."

"...I see..."

It was briefly silent as the two teenage boys continued to walk down the hallway. Once they reached the end of the hallway , they turned around a corner, and that was when Thomas realized something.

"Hey, Steven, where is Room M21A, anyway?" he asked.

"Yeah, that's another thing about my dad's punishments. If he sends you off to a certain room, he never tells you where it's at, and you're left on your own to find it. Sometimes, he even makes up the rooms. Trust me, he gives me this kind of shit frequently at home."

"Hey, there's someone over there." Thomas pointed at two boys leaning against a row of lockers. "Let's ask 'em where the room is."

Thomas and Steven walked closer towards the two boys. As they neared them, they realized that they were the two students they saw yesterday, the ones wearing trench-coats. There was Adam's assailant, the one with the long, oily black hair; and his companion, who had long, curly dyed-purple hair that resembled fire.

"Hey, excuse me!" Thomas said.

"Get lost, freshy," the purple-haired boy snapped suddenly.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" cried Steven, stepping backward cautiously. "We just wanna know where the hell Room M21A is! We're bringing these boxes over there, but the teacher didn't tell us where the room was."

The black-haired boy, the one who had punched Adam, smirked. "You guys are from Blake's class, I assume?" he asked. When Thomas and Steven nodded silently, he let out a hollow, jeering laugh. "Well then, the guy's bullshitting you, then. There is no Room M21A. Actually, there once was a room by that name, but it burned down after a chemistry lab accident and the area was razed. There is nothing but grass and a bush of goddamn dead roses there now." He scoffed. "What an idiot..."

"Hey!" Thomas exclaimed defensively. "Steven's not an idiot! The teacher happens to have a bad spot on us, for your information!"

"I'm not talking about you, freshy. I'm talking about that goddamn Blake. He and his basketball players and their popular friends all think they own the damn school or something. For years this place has been an effing dump of crap. narcissists. They all deserve a taste of their own medicine..."

Thomas smiled and nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Especially that Adam character, I'll say!"

The boy looked at Thomas, smiling a crafty smile. "Yeah. Yeah..._especially_ Adam. The guy's a pure psychopath, just like his daddy. ...Say, did he pick on you?"

"Yeah. Me and Steven."

The boy's smile grew wider, and he snapped his fingers. "Say, how would you like to get back at Blake? Both Blakes?"

The second boy shot a glance at his companion, alarmed. "Z, what the hell are you doing?!" he exclaimed worriedly. "Evan's not gonna like it when he finds that you've been helping out a couple of freshies! The Gang does not set its sights on freshies in distress-"

"But Max, these freshies are _exactly_ what the Gang needs to make all those damn athletes and their popular friends implode on themselves!" the boy named Z replied. "Most of the basketball team goes to Health class, and plus, Blake's teaching that class! These freshies can oversee their activities and report 'em to us! And then, we can initiate Operation: Red Thunder! Besides, I think the Gang is in need of more members..."

"What's the Gang?" Steven asked.

Z looked at Thomas and Steven. "You two, give us those boxes you're carrying," he said. "We'll take care of 'em. Go back to Blake's classroom. Bullshit him by saying you found the room or something."

"But what's the Gang?" asked Thomas. "And exactly how does it need us?"

Z looked around the hallway for anyone else, then replied, "Meet me here later. Then you'll learn about the Gang. Just give us the boxes now."

Thomas handed his boxes to Z, while Steven handed his to the boy named Max.

"Thanks," Thomas replied.

Z merely nodded back and then waved his hand towards the opposite direction dismissively. Thomas and Steven then turned around and walked off.

"Thomas," Steven said, "do you really think we can trust that guy? He doesn't look like the trustworthy type of character-"

"If it means exposing the real Adam to Marie, then yes," replied Thomas determinedly.

* * *

While Thomas and Steven were talking to Z and Max, Marie was jotting down notes and listening as Mr. Blake lectured on the cardiovascular system. As she did so, she decided to sneak a look at Adam, who was already looking at her. She looked away, an intense blush rising in her cheeks. The fourteen-year-old girl didn't notice Adam slyly giving Brad a triumphant thumbs-up.

Finally, when Mr. Blake concluded his lecture (which Marie noticed was a lot sooner than she would expect) and assigned the homework to the class, the students then engaged in conversation with one another. Marie took this time to stand up, occupy Thomas's empty seat, and begin talking to Jazz.

"Jazz," Marie whispered excitedly, "Adam was _looking_ at me!"

"OMG, girl!" Jazz replied, gasping in delight. "I think he _likes_ you!"

The two girls spent the next few minutes silently squealing at each other.

"Oh my God, oh my God, I think I'm actually gonna have a panic attack!" Marie said, her chest heaving in and out dramatically. "What do I do, what do I do?"

"Well, just wait for him to ask you out! If he does like you, then he'd take a chance, would he? Unlike T-" Just then, Jazz stopped short of her sentence.

"Unlike who, Jazz?"

Jazz shook her head. "No one, no one. Just wait for Adam to ask you out!"

"Or..." a new voice said. The two girls looked up to see Bridgette standing beside Marie, smiling a wide smile.

"Or what, Brid?" asked Marie curiously.

"Well," Bridgette said, "I know for sure Adam likes you. You should've counted how many times he's looked at you in one day! But, here's the thing. You can't just wait for Adam to ask you out, Marie! It'll take too much time! There is a foolproof way you can use to provoke a faster response from him…"

"What's that?" Jazz asked.

"Okay, this is a point where I'm gonna go all nasty and critical here, so please, bear with me, girls, I might get too harsh. Marie, it's your clothes."

Marie looked down and inspected her orange dress. "What about my clothes?"

"They're too..." Bridgette furrowed her brow in deep concentration as she thought of a proper thing to say to her newfound friend. "..._simplistic_, generally speaking. I'm sorry, but simplistic clothing doesn't catch a boy's attention in an instant. BUT once you get a major wardrobe makeover, I guarantee you, Marie, that Adam's gonna be clutching tightly onto your heels, begging you in tears to go out with him in no time!"

"But...but I like my clothes the way they are..." Marie replied reluctantly.

Bridgette shrugged. "Well, I'm sorry, Marie, but do you want Adam to go out with you or not?"

"Well...yeah..."

Bridgette took one of Marie's papers and wrote down a phone number on it.

"Here, this is my phone number. Later, we're gonna meet up at the New Googolplex Mall and do some shopping! Jazz, you should probably come too; I think that you deserve a boy of your own as well, girl!" The blonde girl winked and waved at Marie and Jazz. "See ya, girls!"

Bridgette walked off, and Marie looked at Jazz with a confused expression.

"Jazz, do you think my clothes look..._simplistic_?" she asked.

Jazz blinked, and then shrugged. "I think they're fine, Marie," she replied, "but this _is_ high school. A lot's changed, and I guess that includes rules for clothing..."

Marie looked down to inspect her dress apprehensively, just as Thomas and Steven reentered the classroom. Mr. Blake looked up and smirked.

"So, you find Room M21A, Fletcher?" he asked.

Following Z's advice, Thomas replied confidently, "Yes. It wasn't hard."

Mr. Blake blinked, a look of shock and disappointment flooding his face, but he merely pointed at Thomas's desk in a stern matter.

"Sit down, boy," he snapped. "You're slower than I thought; you missed the _entire_ lesson. Now, you're gonna have to find out what we learned today on your own."

Thomas sighed angrily, but he had choicer but to oblige to Mr. Blake's order and sat down on his desk. When the teacher turned his back on the class to attend to his computer, Marie looked back at her friend, smiled kindly, and handed him her notes.

"Here, Tommy," she whispered. "My notes."

"Thanks, Marie," replied Thomas, smiling back at her as he accepted her notes. As he copied down her paper, he heard her voice address him again. For some reason, it evoked a warm, comfortable feeling that boiled inside his heart.

"Tommy?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think my clothes are..._simplistic_?"

Thomas looked up at Marie in concern. "Did Adam tell you that?"

"No, it was Bridgette."

Thomas sighed, then he replied, "Listen to me, Marie, I think you look fine the way you are. No other clothing brings out your cheery, optimistic, loving personality just like your orange dress does. Don't listen to Bridgette, Marie. You're beautiful the way you are."

The teenager suddenly blinked, registering what he just said, and Jazz flicked her head at his direction in keen interest. Unfortunately, Marie was oblivious to the true meaning of Thomas's last sentence, and she glanced at Adam, who was chatting up Brad and Bridgette.

"But how is my orange dress supposed to catch Adam's attention?" she asked.

Thomas blinked again, and he frowned disapprovingly as he looked back at Marie's paper. The redheaded girl noticed his reaction in an instant.

"Tommy, I'm sorry," she said. "I know you don't like Adam, but I think I _like_ him-"

"Why am I bothering to talk to you?" snapped Thomas as he stood up from his desk, walked away, and joined Steven in an empty, neighboring desk. Marie watched her friend leave her once again and let out a sad sigh.

"Oh, Tommy... I'm _sorry_..."

* * *

_**A few hours later...**_

"Oh, Marie, I'm so proud of you," Phineas said as he drove his hovermobile into the New Googolplex Mall. "Your first actual shopping trip with a large group of friends! I remember how your mother always dragged me along with her and her friends when _they_ went shopping. God, where has the time gone? My little girl's growing up so fast; I'm having a hard time catching up with you!"

Marie smiled slightly as her father continued to rant, just as she saw the nearing figures of Bridgette, Sasha, and Rosa, all standing beside the main entrance into one of the mall's anchor stores. The trio of girls waved frantically as they recognized Phineas's hovermobile; when it stopped alongside them, they went crazy.

"OMG, are you _really_ Phineas Flynn?!" squealed Rosa as Marie got out of the car.

"Mr. Flynn, can I have an autograph?!" Sasha asked excitedly.

"Can I have a photo with you, sir?!" asked Bridgette, struggling to take out her camera from her pocket.

Phineas smiled and replied, "Sure thing...uh..."

"Bridgette, Bridgette Clark."

"Clark, Clark..." Phineas snapped his fingers. "Doesn't your family own one of the anchor stores here?"

"This one, yeah," Bridgette replied, her chest swelling with pride as she pointed at the anchor's store sign, which read 'Clark's Clothing Coast'.

Phineas nodded, then allowed Bridgette to take a picture of him with her, Marie, Sasha, and Rosa, just as Baljeet's hovermobile appeared in the parking lot. The door swung open, and Jazz stormed out of the car, obviously fuming in anger.

"I know, Dad, I know!" she yelled as she slammed the door angrily. The Indian girl then stomped over towards the group as her father's hovermobile flew away. "Sorry I'm late, guys. There were some..._complications_." Jazz then smiled optimistically. "But now that we're all here, let's get this shopping trip underway!"

"Okay!" replied Marie as she looked at Phineas. "Okay, Dad, I gotta go. Bye."

"Bye," Phineas said as he kissed his daughter goodbye. "Have fun!"

Marie smiled brightly and nodded as Phineas closed the door and flew his hovermobile away. The redheaded teenager watched as her father disappeared into the sky. She then looked at her friends and began walking towards the store.

"Alright, let's do this!" she exclaimed.

"That's the spirit, girl!" Sasha replied.

As the five girls entered the store, they didn't notice that someone was watching them.

* * *

**Next Episode Summary:** Marie begins the processing of changing her style of clothing, while Thomas and Steven meet up with this enigmatic "Gang".

* * *

**A/N:** Aw, Thomas and Marie were near to reconciliation! But now, they're farther apart than ever. Xl

And who's the person watching Marie?

I'd like to thank those who reviewed (cannot answer reviews right now, sorry):

**DMC7500**

**DizzyPirate**

**damonika2009**

**Axis22**

**woodland5 (guest reviewer)**

**random guy (guest reviewer)**

**TheNargana**

**Deborahpflover**

**Sabrina06**

**BlueLightningXD**

**14AmyChan**

**iheartphinabella05**

Well, this is quite a lot of reviews! Keep it up! :D

Well, hope you enjoyed this chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!


	4. Fitting In with the Rest, Part 1

**A/N:** FYI, the events in this episode as well as the second half of the next episode take place almost simultaneous to each other.

**IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS:**

-Marie Flynn DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Angelus19 and sam-ely-ember.  
-Thomas Fletcher DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Melty19.  
-Jasmine Rai DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to sam-ely-ember and Melty19.  
-Bridgette Clark DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Orthgirl123, Angelus19, and sam-ely-ember.

* * *

**Episode 4: Fitting In with the Rest, Part 1**

* * *

_**September 6, 2035**_

_"Well, Marie, Jazz? You like those clothes we picked out?"_

_"I don't know, Brid... They're too..._revealing_..."_

_"Look at us! We're wearing revealing clothing, but we're not bothered by it! Come on, girl! This is high school we're talking about! Every girl wears revealing clothing to catch a boy's attention nowadays. It's a long-held tradition! ...You don't want Adam to not notice you, don't you?"_

_"Well..._no_...but I still feel exposed by these clothes. A bit _too_ exposed..."_

_"Yeah...me too..."_

_"Well, if that's what you think, you two just buy those clothes and think about what you want to do for the night. We're not forcing you to wear those; we just want you to get into the Danville High hype. Just think about it."_

Marie looked up at the ceiling of her bedroom, deep in thought. Her clock read five in the had just been yesterday since she and Jazz completed their shopping trip with Bridgette, Sasha, and Rosa. The two had bought the clothes their friends selected for them with Bridgette's own money, and of course, they had been given the choice to decide over whether they should wear those clothes or not.

The redheaded girl got out of her bed, retrieved a plastic bag, emptied its contents out onto the bed, and straightened them out. It was the clothes Bridgette picked out for her. They were a pale-pink long-sleeved shirt with light-purple stripes on the sleeves and barely any shoulders, a purple beret, a short purple skirt, and black boots. She remembered wearing those clothes and then looking at herself in the mirror. Despite the nice style of the clothing, she couldn't help but feel like a slut. Her skirt exposed too much of her legs, and her shirt was wrapped around her body a bit tightly and gave some unwanted emphasis to her chest as a result. There wasn't even a hint of a doubt that Adam would notice her in this clothing, but she didn't want him to notice her because she was exposing herself. She wanted him to notice her for what she was, a kind, caring, compassionate, optimistic girl who looked forward to tomorrow, just like Annie from the middle-school plays.

Packing the clothes back into the plastic bag, Marie let out a sigh before picking up her cell phone from the nearby drawer and dialed a number. She put the phone to her ear and waited for the other line to respond.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Jazz," Marie replied.

"Hey, girl. ...So...did you make your decision?"

"Oh, not yet. I was calling to see if you did."

"I'm leaning on yes to wearing the clothes, but of course that'll earn the wrath of my parents."

Marie chuckled. "Did you manage to get those clothes past them?"

"Yep. I just showed my dad the harmless stuff, like the vest and the cap. But I know that from the moment my parents see the rest of the clothes, they will murder me and dance on my grave." Jazz's sigh emerged from the phone. "Marie, I thought high school would be fun! But right now, it's been really demanding. All these classes, these expectations from our new friends, and pressure brought from ogling boys!"

"Same here. And worse yet, Tommy and I are no longer getting along."

"That's quite a shame. I was hoping..." Jazz suddenly stopped talking, piquing Marie's curiosity.

"You were hoping for what?" she asked.

"Nothing. Have you tried to talk with Tom yet?"

"I tried calling him when I got home from the mall, but he didn't answer his phone. I think he's still mad with me because I now like Adam."

"Yeesh, Tom's got no need to be jealous of him!"

Marie raised an eyebrow. "Jealous? Why would Tommy be jealous of Adam?"

"...Oh, did I say 'jealous'? I meant that Tom's got no need to be angry!"

"You clearly said jealous like you meant it, Jazz. You know, girl, you haven't been telling me much about Tommy. Every time you say something about him and me, you suddenly stop and change the subject. Is something going on, Jazz?"

"Nothing's going on, girl. Oh, what do ya know? Look at the time!"

Marie glanced at her clock. "It's almost five-thirty in the morning, Jazz."

"I need to be getting to a dentist appointment!"

"I never knew you have a dentist appoint-"

"Gotta go! Bye! Hopefully you make your decision about the clothes soon!" And with that, Jazz quickly hung up, and the line went dead.

Marie smiled slightly at her friend's silly behavior. "Weird..." she commented. Then, as she prepared to turn off her cell phone, another idea hit her. She quickly dialed another number and waited patiently for the other line to respond to her call.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Fred," Marie replied.

"Hey, silly cousin! What's up, gal?"

"Have you or Xavier seen Tommy recently?"

"Well, there was that fiasco back at Health class-"

"Don't count that in. I've been trying to call him, but he won't answer his phone."

Fred's line was silent for a moment; he was apparently thinking back for anything useful to give to Marie. Finally, he replied, "I think Xavier mentioned something. Here, I'll give the phone to him. Bro, it's Marie; she's asking something about Tom!"

A few seconds later, Xavier said, "Hello, Marie?"

"Hi, Xavier! Fred says you might've seen Tommy?"

"Oh, yeah, I did," he replied. "I saw him hanging out with that Steven kid while leaving school. Those two really seem close, like brothers! Kinda good for Tom, actually. I think he deserves some more friends, especially since he really spoke bitterly of you and Jazz."

"Really?" Marie asked.

"Well, yeah. I overheard him saying stuff about you that really didn't sound desirable. I thought I'd give him some space, since he really sounded frustrated."

"Oh..." Marie sighed sadly; Thomas definitely hated her now. "Well, thanks Xavier."

"No problem. See ya at school!"

"Yeah, I'll see you. Bye." Marie hung up, then she looked up at the ceiling and collapsed onto her bed, letting out another sad sigh as she came to a final conclusion.

She had lost her closest friend.

Marie looked at the plastic bag. Pursing her lips, she then grabbed it and emptied it again.

* * *

_"Tommy's no longer my friend..."_

The thought persisted in her mind as Marie wandered down the staircase, this time not so enthusiastically. She was wearing the new clothes she purchased from the New Googolplex Mall; she no longer cared if her body was exposed or not. Marie walked up to the kitchen table and immediately found her father Phineas devotedly reading the newspaper, but there was no Isabella washing the dishes in the kitchen sink.

"Where's Mom, Dad?" Marie asked as she prepared her breakfast.

"Your mom had to go to the supermarket to get more food and then to the hardware store on the other side of town to get some replacement tools," replied Phineas, putting down his newspaper and looking at his daughter. "And since I'm doing repairs to her car and she's not really good at driving my car, she had to take the bus, and she cannot pick you up. As for me, I'm gonna be picking you from school a bit late, as P&F Industries is having a board meeting later in the noon."

"Okay." Marie stared at her cereal and began swirling the milk with her spoon. As she watched the cereal spin around with the milk in some sort of vortex, she asked,

"Dad?"

"Yes, honey?" replied Phineas.

"You and Uncle Ferb were really close. Have you and him ever, like...stop being _friends_, just for one bit?"

"What're you talking about, Marie?"

"Like, have you and Uncle Ferb disagreed on something to the point where your friendship just crumbled, you know? And you were enemies for a little?"

Phineas blinked, and then, he let out a laugh. "Oh, Marie, I know what this is about."

Marie looked up. "You do?"

"Yeah. Your Uncle Ferb called me, saying that Thomas kept on complaining about you always trusting this one boy over him, I believe the name was Andy-"

"Adam, Dad," Marie corrected.

"Adam, sorry. And then, your uncle said that Thomas stated that he had stopped talking to you."

Marie looked back down at her swirling cereal sadly. "That's right..." she replied.

"Marie, what is it about this Adam character that you think is more trustworthy than Thomas?"

"Well, Adam saved Thomas from being bullied by Steven, who is Adam's younger brother. But Tommy is _extremely_ confident that it was _him_ who was saving _Steven_ from being bullied by Adam. And yet, honestly, I don't see Adam as the bullying type. I mean, he took me and Jazz into his group with no regrets, and he even tried taking Tommy in! He looks like a very nice guy altogether. And quite handsome too..."

Phineas's smile widened. "And I assume you have a crush on this Adam person."

Marie smiled sheepishly as she blushed. "Well..._yeah_, I guess so..." She then frowned. "But Tommy obviously doesn't approve of it."

"Hm. Figures." When Marie looked at him curiously, Phineas switched the topic immediately. "Well, back on the topic, have you seen Adam do anything else that would make him trustworthy over Thomas? Anything at all?"

"...No, not really... I mean, he kinda just stood by when the teacher was yelling at Thomas for throwing a paper airplane into one of his friends..."

"Okay. So, how long have you known Thomas?"

"My whole life."

"And how long have you known Adam?"

"Just a couple of days."

Phineas leaned in closer to Marie, a twinkle in his blue eyes. "So, tell me this, Marie, who do you think is more important than the other: the person you have known for your whole life, or the person you have known only for a couple of days? What do you think?"

Marie unanimously answered, "The one I've known for my whole life. Tommy."

"Correct! Marie, you can still be friends with Adam if you wish, but if you want your friendship with Thomas to be intact, then you're gonna have to apologize to him for your behavior. And the two of you are gonna have to come up with compromises so then both of you are satisfied with what's going on in your social circles."

Marie smiled, always taking pleasure in her father's helpful, sagely pieces of advice.

"Thanks, Dad," she said. "That sounds really good."

"You're welcome, sweetie."

Then, Marie raised an eyebrow curiously. "Dad?"

"Yes, Marie sweetheart?"

"I still wanna know...did you and Uncle Ferb ever disagree on something so much that you became enemies briefly? Just tell me."

Phineas chuckled, fondly reminiscing, and he replied, "Yes, just once."

"Really? What happened?"

"We were deciding over the true usefulness of an invention we created during high school. It was a device that could resurrect the dead."

Marie's eyes widened in surprise. "You two made that?"

"Yes."

"How come I never knew about it?"

"Well," Phineas explained, "there was the argument between me and your Uncle Ferb. I wanted to use it to resurrect dead pet animals. Your Uncle Baljeet's guinea pig died before he could use it for a science experiment that required the guinea pig and no other animal. But Ferb had a terrible feeling that the invention can be used to resurrect larger animals, such as humans, and that by allowing this invention to come into public usage, we are defying the will of natural order. We argued about it, and our friends were also divided between the two issues. You might call it a civil war, generally speaking."

"And what happened?" Marie asked. "Who won?"

"No one won. Everything was solved when a laser came out of nowhere, hit the invention, and caused it to disappear." Phineas smiled slightly. "All in all, it was one of those memories that you enjoyed, but you'd rather wanna forget."

It was silent in the kitchen as Marie began eating her cereal. Just then, Phineas spoke up again.

"By the way, those are some daring new clothes you've got right there, young lady."

Marie frowned jokingly. "Do you disapprove, Daddy?" she asked.

"Well, it's high school we're talking about. I'll let it slide." Phineas chuckled again. "Besides, your mother dressed more scantily than _that_ number, Marie."

Marie gasped. "_Really_?"

"Yep. Just to get my attention. Now, why don't we keep this between us and pretend this part of the conversation never took place?"

"My lips are sealed, Dad."

Phineas went back to reading his newspaper. "That's my girl..."

* * *

Marie watched as Danville High School loomed into view. She began to regret wearing her new clothes, but there was nothing she could do at this point. Phineas was at the wheel of the hovermobile, and she couldn't just tell him to head back. All she needed to do now, she knew, was to suck it up and endure the life of an average high-school girl. Who knows? Maybe it might become enjoyable eventually...

"Here we are, Marie," Phineas announced as he parked the hovermobile in an empty parking space of the parking lot. "You sure you're gonna be okay?"

"Yeah," replied Marie as she continued to look out of the passenger window.

"Remember, find Thomas, apologize to him for what has happened, and make a compromise with him."

"Okay." Marie smiled and hugged her father. "Thanks, Dad, for the advice."

"You're welcome, Marie."

Marie nodded at Phineas before leaving the hovermobile and running toward the school's main entrance. She took one last glance over her shoulder and watched as her father's hovermobile flew into the sky. She then walked through the main entrance, where she found Jazz, who, to her surprise, was also wearing the clothes that were selected back at the New Googolplex Mall. They included a light-purple long-sleeved shirt with white sleeves, a white tank-top underneath, a light-blue cap, and blue jeans that were cut away above the shins.

"_Jazz_?" Marie asked.

Jazz looked back at Marie, and her eyes widened. "_Marie_?" she replied.

"I see you decided to wear those clothes Bridgette, Sasha, and Rosa picked out from the mall."

"Same with you."

Just then, the two teenage girls looked around, seeing that a number of students nearby had spotted them. The boys were wearing disturbingly hungry expressions on their faces, while the girls were either evidently jealous or in awe at their revealing fashion choices. Marie and Jazz instinctively stepped closer to each other, feeling a bit overwhelmed by all of the pairs of eyes staring at them.

"Marie?" a familiar voice asked. "Jazz?"

Marie instantly recognized Xavier and Fred's faces in the crowd. Her blush became even more furious as she became embarrassed to know that her own cousins were among those ogling her...that is, if they were _actually ogling_ her...

"This is really embarrassing..." Jazz whispered under clenched teeth.

"Tell me 'bout it..." replied Marie.

A few minutes of embarrassing, awkward silence passed, and finally, to Marie and Jazz's relief, the crowd suddenly dispersed, the students returning to their previous activities. However, Xavier and Fred approached the two girls, confused expressions plastered on their faces.

"Uh... What's up with the new clothing, girls?" Fred asked, an eyebrow raised.

"It's a long story..." replied Jazz, blushing and shrinking behind Marie for protection.

"Hey, girls!" a voice called. Marie, Jazz, Xavier, and Fred turned to see Bridgette, Sasha, and Rosa approaching the group; Xavier and Fred stepped away.

"You look beautiful, girls!" Sasha exclaimed. "I told you, Marie, Jazz, the dresses are doing _wonders_ for the both of you!"

"I don't know, Sasha," Marie replied, looking over her exposed shoulder at the boys that were ogling her. "I think it's a little _revealing_..."

"Come on, Marie," Bridgette said, "this is high school! Every girl dresses that way!"

"Really?" Marie eyed a rather heavy-set girl wearing plain clothing. Bridgette also noticed and smirked.

"Well, girls who fit in, of course."

Marie sighed nervously. "I don't know..."

"Come on, Marie!" exclaimed Jazz. "I'm actually starting to enjoy this trend!" She then waved flirtatiously at a group of athletes were smiling at the group of girls.

"Besides," Rosa said, putting a hand on Marie's shoulder, "this is the Danville High tradition! Girls at the top wear to impress! It's one of the key things that'll help you through the next four years." She then followed Jazz's lead, waving at the same group of boys, and she giggled when one of them waved back.

"Some tradition this is..." whispered Marie. "This is not the Danville High School my parents told me about at all..."

"Come again, Marie?" Bridgette asked.

Before Marie could reply, the doors of the main entrance suddenly flew open. The students in the hallway watched, their jaws dropping in shock as a group of seven boys wearing identical brown trench-coats and black boots stalked their way across them, looking rather menacing with their bitter expressions and glares. One of the seven, who was in the lead of the group and appeared to be the leader, even glared hatefully at the same group of athletes Jazz and Rosa flirted with earlier, and he made a slow, slitting motion with his hand across his neck, to which the athletes stepped a bit further back in fear. Marie and the other girls could only watch in shock and some fear as the seven made their way past them.

Just then, Marie watched as the two boys at the rear of the group passed her. She instantly recognized both, but only one in particular caught her attention.

"_Tommy_?..."

* * *

**Next Episode Summary:** Thomas and Steven meet up with the enigmatic "Gang", which presents to them three "trials" that all must be passed in order to join. These three trials prove to be challenging tests to Thomas's moral code...

* * *

**A/N:** Well, I've got nothing really to say here now. :P Other than things are becoming more interesting.

I'd like to thank the following for reviewing:

**DMC7500**

**damonika2009:** Well, Thomas is joining the group. However, I must warn you that this "Gang" is as bad as Adam is. Maybe not as much, but still...

**Deborahpflover:** Actually, some of the teachers at my school, all of them football coaches, _do_ give those kinds of punishments to students. However, they don't give the students that amount of push-ups, and they don't do it with as much flair as Blake. Sometimes, they just do it jokingly. They're really good teachers otherwise. And fortunately, I've never gotten myself on their bad sides, BTW.

**TheNargana**

**Axis22**

**woodland5 (guest reviewer):** Yes, you are correct! :D

**humanusscriptor:** It's okay if you can't log in, just tell me if it's you. Actually, I finished half of my chapters at school (I manage to find a lot of free time during lunch).

**random guy (guest reviewer):** No, I will be focusing on other stories too, don't worry. :D

**14AmyChan:** XD

Well, hope you enjoyed this chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!


	5. Trials and Tribulations, Part 2

**IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS:**

-Marie Flynn DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Angelus19 and sam-ely-ember.  
-Thomas Fletcher DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Melty19.  
-Jasmine Rai DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to sam-ely-ember and Melty19.  
-Bridgette Clark DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Orthgirl123, Angelus19, and sam-ely-ember.

* * *

**Episode 5: Trials and Tribulations, Part 2**

* * *

_**September 5, 2035**_

"I honestly don't know about this, Thomas," Steven said as he and Thomas leaned against a set of unoccupied lockers, waiting in silence, their backpacks and guitars lying beside their legs. The school bell had just rung, signifying the end of another long school day, and hundreds of students were flowing down the hallway, noisily talking to their peers and inspecting their cell phones devotedly. It had just been a few hours since Thomas and Steven first met Z and Max and were informed of the enigmatic 'Gang' that the two of them were members of.

"Steven, don't you wanna get back at your dad and Adam for all the crap they've given you?" Thomas asked, looking around the crowd of students in search of Z.

"Well, _yeah_, but I don't think I can trust this gang. They sound like the troublemakers of the school..."

"I don't give a crap. I am joining that gang, whether you like it or not, Steven. If you don't like the idea, you are free to leave. Go back to your goddamn dad and your bastard of a brother, who will treat you like the worst of garbage, while I scheme with the gang to find a way to expose the ones who have tortured you for so long." Thomas had obviously lost hold of his morality, his eyes looking manic, his teeth clenched menacingly.

Taking the hint, Steven continued to stand by Thomas's side, looking down the hallway in search of Z. He then said, a bit quietly and meekly, "Well, I think you should maybe at least apologize to your friend, Marie, I think it was. You've been really harsh on her-"

"Who's the guy who said she was caught up in Adam's shit and that there was nothing we could do?" Thomas interrupted, frustrated.

"It's obvious she's not fully caught up in it. She still cares for you-"

"Well, evidently not enough if she's trusting that bastard who doesn't even deserve to breathe!"

Steven didn't speak again, fearing that he would further incur Thomas's wrath. Finally, several minutes had passed, the amount of students milling down the hallway became less and less. It was at that point that the two freshmen spotted Z making his way down the hall.

"Sorry I'm late, freshies," he said. "I was busy vandalizing a girls' bathroom. The bitches won't know what the hell hit 'em the next morning." He chuckled triumphantly, and then, he motioned the two to follow him. "Come, this way..."

Looking at each other, Thomas and Steven then followed Z down the opposite direction from which the older boy came. As they winded their way through the intricate maze of hallways and sets of lockers, it seemed obvious to the two freshmen that they were going into a deeper part of the school, presumably the section where the seniors frequented or something. The hallways were getting a bit murky, and the two could see a slight abundance in teenage couples making out, or sometimes even stretching beyond that. Thomas looked around the corners of the ceilings, only to find that there were very few security cameras.

Finally, Z stopped beside a door whose sign was scratched to the point where the text was barely legible; Thomas and Steven could only identify hints of an A.

"Here we are," Z announced. "Headquarters of the Duster Rebel Gang. Also known as the DRG, or simply the Gang."

He knocked on the door thrice. A gruff voice boomed, "Password."

"Down with education," replied Z.

The door swung open, and the trio stepped inside, Thomas and Steven in slight impression.

Upon entering the room, the two freshmen identified it as an old chemistry classroom, as evidenced by the laboratory tables lining the walls with their gas valves, the shelves occupied by beakers and vials, and a poster of a periodic table nailed to the wall. However, it looked obvious that the class hadn't been used in a while, as the materials were all lined with dust, and graffiti decorated the walls.

Thomas and Steven immediately spotted five students coolly and nonchalantly sitting on the desks, all of them wearing trench-coats identical to Z's. One of them was Max, Z's companion from yesterday, who was the first to spot the two freshmen.

One of the unidentified boys was tall and of Hispanic descent, with slightly-dark skin, slick brown hair, and cold brown eyes.

Another had white hair with a dyed-red streak on each side, two eyes with differently-colored pupils (the left pupil was green, the right was blue), and what appeared to be a birthmark that was shaped like a lambda symbol on his wrist, something that caught Thomas's attention.

And the final two were identical twins, both with pale skin, gray eyes, spiky hair, and pimpled faces. The only noticeable difference between the two was that one had blond hair with dyed-black streaks, while the other had dyed-black hair with a retention of natural-blond streaks.

In addition to these five and Z, there was a seventh student who was standing by the door; he was the tallest of them all, with a large and muscular physique.

"Who the hell's _this_?" the tall Hispanic boy demanded.

"Relax, Evan," Z replied, "these are the new members I told you about."

The student named Evan blinked twice, a frown of what appeared to be disapproval forming on his face. Then, he stylistically hopped off of the desk he was sitting on and approached Thomas and Steven, inspecting them closely. The two freshmen stood on their ground calmly.

Finally, Evan said, "I don't know about 'em, Z. They're _freshies_..."

"Indeed they are, Evan, but they can be useful for Operation: Red Thunder. Those jocks can finally get their comeuppance at last with their help!"

"There is a reason I made the prospect of recruiting freshies off-limits. Freshies are too weak for our expectations-"

"Hey!" exclaimed Steven.

"I have faith in these two, Evan," Z said. "Besides, Adam's already targeted these two as his primary punching bags."

Evan's eyes widened, and he glanced at Thomas and Steven. He bit his lower lip reluctantly, and then, he sighed.

"Oh, very well..." He glanced at Max and the other three boys. "Time to enact the trials. Max, Z, Byron, you take care of the brown-haired guy. The rest of you will take the fidgety red-haired guy over here. I will meet up with you at the rendezvous point."

The others nodded, while Thomas and Steven looked from one group member to another, confused.

"Trials?" asked Thomas. "What trials?"

"You'll find out soon, man," Z replied, wrapping an arm around Thomas as he guided him out of the classroom. "So, did you tell your parents you're gonna be late?"

"No. Why?"

"'Cause this is gonna take a while..."

* * *

_**Almost an hour later**_

Thomas felt the nausea creep up his body as Max's hovermobile lurched forward to a stop. Once Max settled the hovermobile down on the ground, the freshman got out, followed quickly by Z, Max, and Byron, who was the muscular student guarding the chemistry classroom door. Thomas immediately discovered that Max had driven him to the Slushy Dawg restaurant, where his Uncle Jeremy worked at.

"Slushy Dawg?" he asked. "Why'd you take me here?"

Max stepped in front of Thomas, stretched out his arms dramatically, and announced, "Welcome to the Three Trials of DMA, the trials that'll test your very moral code! Should you pass all three trials, you will gain entry into the Duster Rebel Gang, our brotherhood of disillusioned loners and losers who have banded together as means to find a way to disrupt the school order. Other names are the DRG, or the more popular 'Gang'. Now, introductions aside, we shall commence with Trial One: Defiance."

"Defiance?"

Max smirked. "Defiance." He guided Thomas into the restaurant and pointed at the menu. "You will buy something, _anything_ from this menu, and you will get it for free."

"For free? But all of these foods cost money!"

"That's the point. You're gonna have to ensure that you're getting it for free, no matter what everyone tells you, hence the trial name Defiance. Here, watch."

He approached a nearby waitress and tapped her shoulder, catching her attention. "Yes?" she asked.

"Hi, I'll have three Slushy Hamburgers," replied Max. He then smiled nastily. "And I'll take 'em for free."

"Do you have coupons for that?"

"Nope."

"I'm sorry, you're gonna have to pay for those burgers, then."

Max's smile widened. "Listen here, sweet cakes, I'm getting those burgers for free. There's nothing that you can say to make me agree with your stupid rules."

The waitress blinked in shock, but she maintained her ground and said sternly, "Mister, I'm gonna have to ask you to-"

"To do what?" interrupted Max, his form seemingly towering over the waitress's. His nasty smile was still in place, and the waitress appeared to shrink in fear. "Leave? Oh, I'm not leaving. I'm not leaving without my free hamburgers."

He then frowned in a mock-curious tone. "You know, I've heard stories of a guy who tried getting a restaurant burger for free. There was a waitress who said that he couldn't get the burger unless he paid for it. He resisted, and he was kicked out as a result.

"The following night, the waitress's shift was over, and she had parked her nice car in a lonely section of the parking lot that was far from the restaurant and any other public building. Like a classic horror movie, I must say. While she was heading to the car, she heard someone following her. She turned around...saw no one. Thinking that it was some stray animal, she got into her car. And then...the guy from before, the one who wanted a burger for free, he suddenly pops up in the backseat, asking for a free burger still. Oh, you'd think the waitress would be scared outta her damn wits! But no, she calmly told him that he had to pay to get a burger.

"The next morning, her body was found behind the restaurant, with a damn lot of bite marks all over her body..."

During Max's tale, the waitress had stood there, rooted to the spot. Her jaw was hanging open in shock and horror, and she had dropped her clipboard. Once Max was finished with his story, she had regained her senses, cautiously bent down to retrieve her clipboard, and then looked at the teenager calmly.

"Three Slushy Hamburgers on the way-" She quickly produced three coupons from her apron pocket. "-free of charge."

"_That's_ more like it, honey," Max replied as the waitress walked off. Chuckling with pleasure, he turned back to Thomas, who was wearing an expression of shock and horror that matched that of the waitress's.

"Are you serious?" asked Thomas.

"You don't have to do what I did. You just need to walk outta here with free food, that's all."

Thomas blinked, and he looked back at Z and Byron nervously; the former nodded at him confidently. An image of Adam sprung to his mind, and Thomas found himself sitting down on the nearest empty table. Pretty soon, a waiter spotted him and approached him while Max, Z, and Byron watched curiously.

"Hello, young sir," the waiter greeted optimistically. "What would you like from Slushy Burger today?"

The freshman blinked, and then, he calmly looked at the menu in search of something he would like to buy. He spotted something and pointed at it.

"Ah, you want the Slushy Deluxe Veggie Burger!" the waiter exclaimed.

"And I'd like it for free, please," added Thomas.

The waiter blinked in confusion, taken aback by Thomas's strange order. "I'm sorry, mister, but we haven't released any coupons for that burger this week. But if you'd like, we're giving out Slushy Hamburgers for free! Maybe you can take those-"

"No," Thomas replied nervously but tersely. "I'd like a Slushy Deluxe Veggie Burger for FREE."

"I'm sorry, mister, but I cannot guarantee that-"

Thomas stood up, his heart hammering against his rib-cage, but his confidence still high.

"Listen here-" He looked at the waiter's name-tag. "-_Walter_-" Just then, he got an idea. "Wait, Walter, is it?"

"Yes."

"Walter the waiter, huh?"

"Well...I guess you can say it that way-"

"Walty Waiter."

Walter blinked in confusion. "Uh...that's nice... So, would you like-"

"Walty Waiter! Oh wait, how about Waltzy Waiter?!"

Walter blinked again, this time in annoyance, as his lips were also pursed. "Uh...I'd rather not be called by that name-"

"What, Waltzy Waiter?"

"Yes," Walter snarled under clenched teeth.

"Waltzy Waiter, Waltzy Waiter, Waiter, Waiter, out to serve food is the Waltzy Waiter!" chanted Thomas as he started to get the hang of it; some customers began to turn their heads at the teenager in curiosity and interest, causing Walter to sweat nervously.

"I'd recommend you'd stop singing that-" Walter began, but...

"WALTZY WAITER, WALTZY WAITER, WAITER, WAITER, OUT TO SERVE FOOD IS THE WALTZY WAITER, AND THAT'S HIM!" Thomas shouted loudly, pointing at Walter.

"Fine, fine, FINE!" Walter snapped. "You can have your Deluxe Veggie Burger for free!"

The waiter quickly scribbled down the order in his clipboard and stalked off furiously, leaving Thomas to collapse onto his seat in relief. Relishing in what he just did, he let out an excited chuckle while Z, Max, and Byron sat down at his table.

"You did well, man," Z said.

"Yeah, quite stylistic right there," Max added. "Looks like you pass Trial One. Come on, let's go."

"Huh?" Thomas raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Uh...didn't we make some orders?"

"I am aware of that. Let's just bullshit 'em by ditching out on 'em at the last second. That'll be a laugh, huh?"

The four boys ran out of the restaurant, laughing heartily as they got into Max's hovermobile and flew away.

* * *

"Well, that was fun," Thomas said, struggling to hold in a bout of laughter. "So, what's Trial Two?"

"You'll see..." Max replied craftily as he stopped his hovermobile alongside a cafe that was located in the high-end side of town, where several people of the high-class were frequenting. The four got out of the car, and Z escorted Thomas into a nearby alleyway, where the walls were decorated with graffiti.

"So, worthy contestant," Z said dramatically, "you obviously have the guts to pass Trial One. Now, we commence into Trial Two: Mischief."

"Mischief?" asked Thomas, his anticipation rising.

"Yes, Mischief. Now, Max, Byron, and I will make a scene." He tossed Thomas a black spray-can. "While people are watching us, you will spray-paint the words 'HELL TO WEALTH' on the cafe window. Once you're done, we hightail it outta here."

Thomas's eyes widened. Defying someone of a higher authority was one thing, but to deface public property really compromised his morals.

"Are you serious?" he asked, shocked. "Aren't there gonna be any security cameras or something?"

"Yeah," replied Max, "but there's only one that'll have a partial view of you, so you're good. Besides, everyone's eyes are gonna be on us, not you. Just do your job as fast as you can, and then signal us. And then we'll leave those damn rich people to cower in our message."

"This...this...this...I can't do this..."

"If you can't, well, see ya!" Max led Z and Byron away. "Good luck with Adam, man!"

Thomas blinked as an image of Adam sprung to his mind again. This time, he could envision him wrapping an arm around Marie's waist, smirking triumphantly as she accepted his company. Clenching his teeth in anger, he coolly flipped the spray-can.

"I'll do it."

Max turned around and smiled. "That's the spirit, man. Come."

Thomas followed the others as they briskly walked back onto the concrete sidewalk. Z pointed to the cafe window, and Thomas nodded in understanding as he leaned against the wall innocently. Just then, Max shoved Z to the ground, shocking Thomas for only a split-second.

"DAMN IT, YOU BASTARD!" Max screamed, getting everyone's attention. "YOU **DARE** BANG MY GIRLFRIEND?!"

Z looked up at Max and smirked. "Yeah, and she _enjoyed_ it...very much..." he replied._  
_

"GODDAMN BASTARD!" screeched Max as he began punching Z while Byron tried unsuccessfully to hold him back.

As everyone's eyes shifted towards the fighting group, Thomas took his chance to begin spray-painting the window with the spray-can. Nervously, he looked back onto the road and spotted a security camera hanging on one of the stoplights. Fortunately, it didn't seem to be staring in his direction, so he resumed. After a few minutes, he was halfway through, and he decided to check on Z and Max's progress. Byron and a couple other customers were holding back a ranting, furious Max while Z was being held by several other customers, his face bruised and sunken, his lower lip cut and bleeding.

"You think this is over?!" snarled Max. "Think again, damn it! I'll get you, one of these days!"

"In your dreams, asshole," Z spat back, prompting Max to try and lunge at him, only to be held back. Thomas quickly resumed, just as he looked into the window.

He stopped. An employee was looking at him in shock.

Quickly finishing the words, Thomas then looked at Z, who caught his stare.

"We gotta go!" he shouted.

Taking the hint, Z, Max, and Byron followed Thomas into Max's vehicle. Before they closed their doors, their ears caught the sound of a barrage of horrified gasps and roars as the customers spotted Thomas's work branded onto the window. Laughing, Max started the hovermobile and flew away.

Before the cafe could go out of sight, Thomas looked out of the passenger window and spotted his handiwork: 'HELL TO WEALTH' spray-painted onto the window. The 'HELL TO WE' was straight and simple, but the last part of the message was rather crude in Thomas's hurry to finish. However, Thomas was proud of what he did. For some reason, doing these criminal activities seemed to lift a burden from his chest, and it was a good feeling.

"You alright?" Thomas turned around to face Z, who was smiling despite the injuries he received from Max.

"Yeah. You?"

"I'm fine. Don't worry, it doesn't look that bad."

Thomas smiled, then sat back on his seat, anticipating Trial Three.

* * *

The evening sun was almost setting below the horizon by the time Max landed his hovermobile back into the Danville High parking lot, which was empty aside from just two other hovermobiles. The four teenagers got out, to which Thomas decided to check his cell phone.

_"Over 200 text messages from my parents?"_ Thomas thought. _"Uh oh..."_

"Something wrong, man?" Z asked.

"I think I gotta get home," replied Thomas. "My parents are likely worried sick about me-"

"There's no need to do that. We haven't gotten to Trial Three yet."

"Can't we postpone it till tomorrow?"

"No. Evan makes it a rule for all three trials to be done in one evening. But don't worry about arriving home late. Trial Three will provide you with the perfect alibi..."

"And what's that?"

"Oh, you'll see..." Max replied, smiling as he guided Thomas toward the main entrance. There, the group of four found Steven and the three other members of the Gang sitting on the grassy hillside beside the main entrance.

"Steven!" Thomas greeted. "How'd those two other trials go?"

"Man, that was FUN!" exclaimed Steven in response. "I got quite the adrenaline from both of 'em. I assume yours went well also."

Thomas nodded as he collapsed beside Steven. "I never thought I'd actually be doing those things..."

"Me neither. But Floyd, Lloyd-" He gestured to the twins. "-and Raoul-" He gestured to the white-and-red-streak-haired student. "-helped me get the hang of it."

"Well," a voice said suddenly, "hopefully you two will have what it takes to pass Trial Three."

Thomas and Steven stood up as Evan entered the scene, his arms crossed, a proud smile on his face.

"I'm pretty sure Trial Three will be a doozy!" Thomas exclaimed confidently.

Evan's smile widened as he announced, "So, ladies, you have proven yourselves _mostly_ worthy of belonging to the Gang by passing Trial One: Defiance and Trial Two: Mischief. Now, your worthiness will be truly tested with Trial Three: Assault. You two-" He pointed at Thomas and Steven. "-_fight_."

Thomas and Steven's jaws would've practically hit the ground.

"WHAT?!" cried Steven.

"I can't fight him!" Thomas protested. "He's my friend!"

"It's either him," Evan replied, "or good ol' Byron." He pointed at Byron, who flexed his muscles threateningly. "Usually, it's Byron who you have to fight, but since you two are freshies, I'm gonna be lenient to you and just have you two fight one another. Whenever you're ready!"

"How long must this fight go?"

"As long as it needs to."

"What happens to the loser?" asked Steven.

"Well then, he can just kiss his chances of becoming a member of our brotherhood goodbye. We forgot to tell you that the Three Trials of DMA don't accept do-overs. It is just one try. One single loss, and he's out. Now, on with Trial Three!"

Thomas blinked and looked at Steven. Sighing sadly, he raised his fists, as did Steven.

"Nothing personal, man," Thomas said as he threw the first punch, which landed on Steven's nose. Steven fell to the ground, clutching his nose in pain, while Thomas clutched his fist, which was throbbing from the hard punch. "GOD, THAT **HURTS**!"

"If you keep it up," advised Z, "your fists will get used to it. But for now, mind your surroundings."

"Huh?"

The next thing Thomas knew, an unknown force tackled him hard to the ground. Seconds later, he looked up into Steven's reluctant face as his friend started throwing a barrage of hard punches directed at his face. At first, they were a bit soft, but as the punches went on, so did their power. Thomas felt his world flying, and flashes of colorful light bombarded the corners of his eyes as Steven's fists flew.

Just then, he saw an image of Marie smiling at him. Then, Adam appeared, his lips locking onto hers...

Yelling angrily, Thomas enclosed his hand on Steven's fist before it could hit his neck, and then, he flew his unoccupied fist at Steven's eye. A second later, Steven fell off of his body, and pretty soon, it was Thomas who was on the top, hitting him as hard as he could. Anger had blinded him; he no longer cared if he was attacking his best friend. Gaining entry into the Gang was his top goal now. He needed to expose Adam, the _true_ Adam, to Marie, and the Gang was his only opportunity for doing so. Nothing else in the world mattered anymore to him. He might've as well killed Steven in the brutal attack...

Suddenly, Steven, taking advantage of the split-second-long gap in-between Thomas's punches, elbowed Thomas in the vital place he knew he should've protected. Letting out the loudest, pain-stricken howl in his life, Thomas stumbled back, holding the area between his legs in severe pain.

A second later, Steven tackled him to the ground, and his head collided hard with the grassy ground. His world began spinning a bit too fast for him, and he looked up at Steven, who was preparing to throw another punch at him.

"YOU'RE GONNA DIE, DAD!" he was screaming fanatically, spit flying out of his mouth. One of his eyes was twitching menacingly.

Realizing that he might not survive another hit, Thomas began moaning as images of his entire family, especially Marie, flooded his mind, "Okay, okay, I give, I give..."

Z ran up to Thomas and Steven, just as the latter's mind began to adjust to the situation. Realizing the severe damage he had just inflicted on his best friend, Steven gasped in horror as he helped Thomas to his feet with Z's help. The other Gang members ran up to the bloodied, beaten Thomas.

"Well, that was one heated fight," Evan commented. "I've never seen anyone so determined in a fight. You're in the Gang."

"Thanks, I guess..." replied Steven.

Evan nodded, and he looked at Thomas. "As for you-" he began.

"I know, I know," Thomas cut off, downcast at his defeat. "Bye-bye to my chances of joining the Gang..."

Evan smiled and shook his head. "Nah. That part was just to get you going. You were quite determined too, and it was quite impressive. You're in the Gang."

* * *

_**September 6, 2035**_

Thomas opened his eyes the following morning, a proud smile creeping onto his face. After the fight, the Gang took him and Steven, as well as the still-beaten Z, to the hospital, successfully convincing the doctors that the three of them had been assaulted and robbed by gangsters, explaining their serious injuries. Their wounds were mended in a few seconds, courtesy of the miraculous Heal-O Laser device. Of course, Ferb and Vanessa had to be called in by hospital staff to pick up Thomas, but just like the other adults, they had fallen for the Gang's cover-up story.

Dressing up and going downstairs, Thomas found Vanessa sitting at the kitchen table, reading another newspaper; Ferb was absent, likely out on another meeting at P&F Industries. As he passed her to get his cereal and milk, the teenage boy caught a good glimpse of the newspaper's headline: 'VALENTINE HEIGHTS CAFE TAGGED!' Gulping nervously, Thomas continued doing his usual routine innocently, assembling his cereal and sitting down at the table to eat.

Finally, after a minute or two of awkward silence...

"Did you hear the news today?" asked Vanessa.

"No," Thomas replied innocently. "What happened?"

Vanessa didn't look away from her newspaper as she explained, "Apparently, some teenage troublemakers put some nasty graffiti on a cafe in Valentine Heights. That is a really high-class side of town. All the reason to be offended if the graffiti reads 'HELL TO WEALTH'."

"Well, hopefully whoever did this gets what he or she deserves."

"Yes..." Vanessa finally looked at Thomas, a strange expression on her face. "Hopefully _so_..."

Thomas blinked innocently, unsure if his mother was onto him. The two stared at each other directly in the eyes, never breaking eye contact. It was getting _awkward_...

Finally, Vanessa resumed reading her newspaper. Inside his mind, Thomas was letting out a sigh of immense relief.

* * *

"You sure you didn't forget anything, honey?" asked Vanessa as Thomas got out of the hovermobile.

"I didn't, Mom," Thomas replied, frustrated. "That's the sixth time you've asked me that."

"I'm sorry, just checking. Have a good time, honey!"

"I'm sure I will..." he whispered to himself as he turned his back on her and walked up to the main entrance. Thomas heard his mother's hovermobile fly off, just as he saw Steven, Z, and Max, the latter two wearing their trench-coats and all three waving at him.

"Thomas!" called Steven. "Over here, man!"

Thomas ran up to the trio. "What's up?"

"Come with us..." Z said, guiding Thomas and Steven toward the same grassy hillside where they had just engaged in a fistfight hours ago. It appeared to be quite the unpopular spot to hang out, as the other Gang members were present and no one else. Evan was holding a large duffel bag.

"Hey, new blood!" greeted Evan. "You've really outdone yourselves, passing all three trials! I haven't seen such enthusiasm and determination before!"

"Thanks, Evan," replied Thomas. He then eyed the duffel bag. "So...what's in the bag?"

Evan smiled. "Your presents. I shoplift these things all the time for new members of the Gang. These babies, I got them a couple weeks ago from the New Googolplex Mall. I believe they're small enough for you two. Come on, look inside the bag."

Steven opened the bag, and he and Thomas looked at its contents. Their jaws dropped open in fascination.

It was a pair of trench-coats.

Evan, Z, Max, Byron, Floyd, Lloyd, and Raoul all circled around Thomas and Steven.

"Welcome to the Gang, Thomas and Steven," Evan said triumphantly. "Welcome to the big league..."

* * *

"You look beautiful, girls!" Sasha exclaimed. "I told you, Marie, Jazz, the dresses are doing _wonders_ for the both of you!"

"I don't know, Sasha," Marie replied, looking over her exposed shoulder at the boys that were ogling her. "I think it's a little _revealing_..."

"Come on, Marie," Bridgette said, "this is high school! Every girl dresses that way!"

"Really?" Marie eyed a rather heavy-set girl wearing plain clothing. Bridgette also noticed and smirked.

"Well, girls who fit in, of course."

Marie sighed nervously. "I don't know..."

"Come on, Marie!" exclaimed Jazz. "I'm actually starting to enjoy this trend!" She then waved flirtatiously at a group of athletes were smiling at the group of girls.

"Besides," Rosa said, putting a hand on Marie's shoulder, "this is the Danville High tradition! Girls at the top wear to impress! It's one of the key things that'll help you through the next four years." She then followed Jazz's lead, waving at the same group of boys, and she giggled when one of them waved back.

"Some tradition this is..." whispered Marie. "This is not the Danville High School my parents told me about at all..."

"Come again, Marie?" Bridgette asked.

Before Marie could reply, the doors of the main entrance suddenly flew open. The students in the hallway watched, their jaws dropping in shock as a group of seven boys wearing identical brown trench-coats and black boots stalked their way across them, looking rather menacing with their bitter expressions and glares. One of the seven, who was in the lead of the group and appeared to be the leader, even glared hatefully at the same group of athletes Jazz and Rosa flirted with earlier, and he made a slow, slitting motion with his hand across his neck, to which the athletes stepped a bit further back in fear. Marie and the other girls could only watch in shock and some fear as the seven made their way past them.

Just then, Marie watched as the two boys at the rear of the group passed her. She instantly recognized both, but only one in particular caught her attention.

"_Tommy_?..."

* * *

As he stalked down the main hallway with his newfound friends, Thomas recognized Marie and Jazz as some of the many students looking at him and the rest of the Gang. Like everyone else, looks of pure shock and horror were plastered onto their faces.

But he didn't care. Not anymore. In the trench-coat, he felt extremely powerful. Nothing could defeat him.

_"Get ready, Danville High,"_ Thomas thought. _"Meet Thomas Fletcher."_

* * *

**Next Episode Summary:** Tensions are boiling extremely high now when Marie and Thomas begin to openly disapprove of each other's friends, leading to a stake in the friendship they have held for so long. Is the time for making amends officially over?

* * *

**A/N:** So, what do you think of the Gang? Are they better than Adam and his lackeys? Are they as bad as them? Are they even worse, pray tell? What's your opinions?

I'd like to thank those who reviewed (cannot answer reviews, sorry):

**14AmyChan**

**damonika2009**

**random guy (guest reviewer)**

**woodland5 (guest reviewer)**

**humanusscriptor**

**Deborahpflover**

**Axis22**

**Guest reviewer**

Well, hope you enjoyed this rather brutal chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!


	6. Severed Ties

**A/N:** Well, so far, most people are thinking that the Gang are as much of asses as Adam and his lackeys are. However, I assure you that they will eventually come to be somewhat likable, except for Evan. This chapter might not be the one to prove it, but there are softer sides to most of the Gang.

**IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS:**

-Marie Flynn DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Angelus19 and sam-ely-ember.  
-Thomas Fletcher DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Melty19.  
-Jasmine Rai DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to sam-ely-ember and Melty19.  
-Bridgette Clark DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Orthgirl123, Angelus19, and sam-ely-ember.

* * *

**Episode 6: Severed Ties**

* * *

_**September 7, 2035**_

In the school cafeteria, the student population was divided personality-wise. The separation of types of students just couldn't be helped or touched upon; it was in the nature of the students, almost some sort of a _tradition_, to be isolated from students that just weren't their kind.

There were eight individual sections for each type of student, all of them encircling over the other in a style reminiscent to onion rings: bullies, class clowns, cool ones, flunkies, freaks, loners, nerds, and socialites. But, straight in the middle of the cafeteria, there was a ninth section, the one that was heavily coveted the most by the student population. It was the one that belonged to the large gang of popular students of the school, the one everyone looked up to as a whole.

It was this section that Marie was currently sitting in right now. However, despite being in the company of people who appreciated her and constantly praised her, she wasn't feeling very bright and upbeat today, and she knew why.

The redheaded girl cast a glance at a far corner of the cafeteria, which was occupied only by an especially rundown and poorly-cleaned lunch table. Sitting on that very table was none other than Thomas and his newfound trench-coat-wearing friends. Ever since she saw him in their company yesterday, she had abandoned her plans of attempting to make amends with him out of intimidation by his nasty-looking, menacing friends.

Health class yesterday and today had been especially awkward. Everyone was eyeing Thomas and Steven warily, as if they were ravenous, bloodthirsty creatures, and even the mighty Mr. Blake's confidence was significantly lowered by their intimidating presence, as he never gave his sentences in slight barks like he usually did. Marie couldn't guess what happened in their other classes.

"What're you looking at, girl?" Bridgette suddenly piped. She then followed Marie's stare and frowned disapprovingly. "Oh, jeez, those Duster Rebel Gang critters..."

"Who are they, exactly?" asked Jazz, looking at the blonde girl.

"Bad news, that's what they are," Sasha replied. "They're not flunkies, or loners, or bullies, or even weirdies. They're...just bad news..."

"Exactly how bad are they?" Marie asked in both curiosity and concern for Thomas.

"Well, here's one example: about couple of years ago, a chemistry classroom, D18A, was evacuated after the walls were infested by a swarm of termites that suddenly disappeared as soon as everyone was cleared out. They recovered one of the termites, and they said it was a breed native in the Northeast, which is, of course, way far out from the Tri-State Area. The breed was also accessible in professional laboratories or whatever.

"Those termites couldn't have just flown miles over here, so everyone agrees that the Duster Rebel Gang was able to get their hands on those termites and let them loose on the classroom. After all, no one was allowed back in the classroom because those termites are infamous for letting out a bunch of lethal fumes that'd explode if the walls were torn down, and in fact, the classroom was left alone altogether and everyone now says the classroom is the Gang's headquarters or something."

"What makes everyone think that?"

"It's common knowledge that the Duster Rebel Gang hates this entire school, down to the concrete," Bridgette said. "They do a bunch of things to get this school torn down or something. Last year, the guys packed flash-bang material into one of the basketballs and timed it to detonate during a basketball game. It was successful, and lots of people had to go to the hospital and get their eyes checked."

"Yeah, including me," Brad added, rubbing his eyes as he reminisced. "It was damn painful, if you ask me."

"Whoa..." Jazz commented, her jaw open.

"Yep, that about sums up the Duster Rebel Gang," Bridgette said, shaking her head. "No one wants to cross 'em. Students are even afraid to cross their paths, literally. There was this sophomore, Gail Rossmore, who bumped into 'em, and she got her wrist broken by them and her saxophone stolen and trashed."

Marie blinked in horror and looked back at Thomas, who was saying something incomprehensible to Steven.

"What happens if you become a member of this Gang?" she asked.

"You talking about Thomas?" Bridgette replied, and she shook her head again. "If he is one of them, then there's nothing we could do to get your friend out. They are like one of those creepy-fest cults, Marie. People say that if you quit the Gang, you and your family will be dead within 24 hours."

Marie was still staring at Thomas as she said, "I just can't believe Tommy _joined_ them..."

"Maybe he joined that Gang because Steven did," suggested Jazz, touching Marie's shoulder comfortingly. "I mean, the two of them have been hanging out with each other like magnets since day one. And to think, Steven had been bullying Tom. Besides, there's no reason for Tom to join those guys on his own accord..."

"Steven's obviously putting a bad influence on Tom, Marie," Adam said, placing a comforting hand over Marie's. "He can do that to people."

Marie pursed her lips as she continued to stare at Thomas in concern. Then, a determined expression occupied her face, and she stood up.

"I'm talking to him," she said courageously.

"What?!" exclaimed Rosa in horror while everyone else gasped.

"Girl, NO!" Bridgette cried. "Those DRG guys will, like, practically _kill_ you!"

"I'm not gonna let my friend associate himself with those creeps! I don't care what happens to me; I'm pulling him out, no matter what!"

"I'm going with you, then!" Jazz said, standing up as well.

"So am I!" exclaimed Adam.

Marie looked at Jazz and Adam, and she nodded. Then, the trio walked across the lunch tables, towards the Gang.

* * *

"Are you sure you should be smoking in here?" asked Thomas as he cautiously stared at Evan, who was leaning against the wall coolly, smoking a lit cigarette, a wispy trail of white, smelly smoke emanated from the other end and dispersing across the area.

"So what, man?" Evan replied gruffly, taking another smoke. "Teachers don't bother to stop me anymore." He scoffed jeeringly, then stretched out the arm holding the cigarette towards Thomas. "D'you want a smoke? It does wonders."

"I'd rather not. I defied a waiter, defaced public property, and beat the hell out of Steven yesterday, but I don't think I'm daring enough to smoke a cigarette."

Evan shrugged nonchalantly. "Your loss..." he said as he took another smoke.

"So, what're we doing today? Are we gonna steal the sports equipment? Break into the cheerleaders' room and trash it? What're we doing?"

"We're doing anything right now, really," Z replied. "Nothing important's come up. However, there's cheerleader tryouts next week. That's gonna be our first activity of the year. Just go in there and sabotage future sluts' chances of glorifying themselves and the damn jocks' sports."

Thomas's excitement was rising; he was starting to enjoy causing mischief by the hour. "How're we gonna do that?" he asked curiously.

"We're gonna stuff damn-powerful itching powder into the contestants' suits before the tryouts begin," explained Max. "We're still waiting for Raoul to get a couple of bags of a nice little sample from some guy in Finland that he met on the Internet."

"He says the itching powder's so potent it'll make skin bleed," Raoul added.

"Sounds great!"

Evan smirked and sat down on the table with his colleagues. "It _is_ great..." he said.

"Whatcha' talking about, Tommy?" a familiar voice asked sweetly and innocently. Everyone looked up to see Marie walk up towards their table. Accompanying her were Jazz and (Thomas and Steven frowned in loathing at this development) Adam. Byron suddenly and instinctively stood from the table and stepped between Marie and Thomas, his large, muscular form towering over her.

"Get lost, _popular_," he snapped gruffly.

All irrationality disappeared from Thomas's mind when he saw Marie's fearful expression. Fearing that Byron might lash out at her, he stood up.

"It's okay, she's a friend," he said, almost in a defensive tone. When Marie looked at him in relief, a warm feeling flooded his heart.

"Are you freakin' _serious_, man?!" exclaimed Max, standing up and pointing a finger at Marie, Jazz, and Adam accusingly. "They're POPULARS, for effing Christ's sake! And goddamn _Blake_ is among them, the good-for-nothing, lying, crapping, psychopathic weasel!"

"I don't want Blake," Thomas spat, looking wrathfully at Adam, who secretly gave him a smirk. "But I'm willing to talk to Marie and Jazz for a bit. I'll be okay."

"But-"

"I'll. Be. OKAY." Thomas shot Max a serious look, but he was unconvinced, as was Byron, who crossed his arms disapprovingly.

"Damn it, man, they're-"

"Oh, Max," Evan interrupted suddenly as he clapped Thomas in the back, "if Thomas says he's okay, he's okay, for God's sake!"

"Boss, they're populars," piped Byron.

"Loosen up, Byron. It's just two popular girls and _nothing more_..." Evan shot Adam a threatening look, to which the athlete took the hint and cautiously backed away. Evan then chuckled as he looked at Thomas. "You're quite lucky, man. Those two are quite damn _cute_ too..."

Marie and Jazz blushed and chuckled nervously. Then, their skins became pale when Evan stalked towards them, followed closely by Floyd, Max, Floyd, and Lloyd, while Thomas, Steven, Z, and Raoul continued to be seated on the table, the former two watching apprehensively. The two girls stood there, rooted to the spot. Sensing an impending disaster, nearby students also watched with growing interest.

"Now, listen here, girls," Evan snarled, "this here is our newest brother. He says he trusts you both, but I know how populars act like the back of my hand. If you two do one thing, _one damn thing_, to embarrass him, or do anything to bring down his spirit, remember this: you're not messing with him, you're messing with _us_. I assure you, we will make you pay a fine for messing with our brother. A fine in BLOOD. So, to make things clearer for you two-" He leaned in closer; Marie and Jazz were both practically shrinking on the spot. "-in the words of a talented revolutionary: don't _fuck_ with us. Capieche?"

Marie and Jazz silently nodded simultaneously. To their relief, the Gang members dispersed, allowing Thomas to stand up from the table and approach them.

"So, what's up, guys?" asked Thomas innocently.

"Can we talk about this somewhere private?" Marie replied, looking cautiously at the rest of the Gang.

Thomas's reply was simple and terse. "I'm not doing that."

"Fine, then." Marie placed her hands on her hips, while Jazz crossed her arms. "Tommy, we don't approve of your...new friends."

Thomas frowned. "I knew it," he said. "I knew it, I knew it. You didn't like them, Marie." Then, his frown disappeared, and he shrugged nonchalantly. "It figures. I guess we're now even, considering that I absolutely hate _your_ new friends."

"What's wrong with them, Tom?" asked Jazz.

"What's wrong with them?" Thomas repeated. "What's wrong with them, you say? They're goddamn POPULARS!"

"Oh, now you're talking like _them_?" asked Marie. "I don't believe this, Tommy-"

"**STOP CALLING ME TOMMY!**"

Thomas's outburst was heard throughout the entire cafeteria, as the students all fell silent. Marie gasped in shock as Thomas pointed a finger at her.

"I'm. So. SICK. Of. That. Name," growled Thomas under clenched teeth.

"But...but...I thought-"

"Yeah, five years ago, I finally became okay with the name. That's because _you_ were using it. But now, I hate it again. Why? Because I hate YOU."

Marie gasped again. "T-Tommy-"

Thomas suddenly shoved her backward. "You just don't get the point, do you?" he snapped.

"Tom, calm down!" Jazz shouted.

For the first time in such a while that Marie and Jazz have seen him, Thomas burst out in laughter. It sounded really odd, with a rather gravelly tone and a rather manic hint to it. Marie hadn't heard Thomas use that kind of laughter since... She didn't bother to wade back into that memory...

"Calm down?" Thomas replied finally. "_Calm down_?" Another brief fit of laughter. "Oh, Jazz, you actually made me LAUGH! That's so AMUSING!" He suddenly stood; both of his eyes were twitching. "I have a bit of a grudge with you too! You keep making false statements about all this Thomarie shit, you pester me every day, and even worse, you're...you're..." He struggled to find a word to say. "You're goddamn _annoying_! The both of you! You're both ANNOYING! You two, get the hell out of my faces! I'm not letting my precious time get fucked by the likes of you anymore!"

"Tommy-" began Marie.

Thomas sighed angrily and shook his head. "Oh, you just can't get the point, do you? You see, Marie, this is what being a popular does to you! It drains the intelligence outta you. That is, if there _was_ any intelligence to begin with!"

Marie gasped, and she grabbed Thomas's trench-coat, tears welling up in her eyes.

"TOMMY!" she screamed, beginning to sob. "HOW COULD YOU **SAY** THAT?! I'M YOUR **FRIEND**!"

Thomas smirked and ripped her hand away. He took a couple of steps back and stretched out his arms dramatically.

"Not anymore," he replied as he was evidently relishing in the moment. "Consider our ties of friendship severed PERMANENTLY. Now, do me one last favor and go back to your damn popular friends, the both of you. Stay with them, while I stay with mine. Never interact with me ever again, and I never interact with you ever again. It's a win-win situation! Fair's fair in the friendship war. You get the point."

Marie and Jazz both stared in horror, as did everyone else in the cafeteria, even members of the Gang. The only ones who seemed to be benefiting from this dramatic, bitter moment were Adam, Evan, and Byron; the former two were smirking cleverly, while Byron nodded in approval of Thomas's actions.

Finally, Marie whispered, "You've changed, Tommy..."

Thomas smirked back. "Thanks. So have you..._popular_..."

Unable to hold back anymore, Marie burst out in tears and fled the cafeteria.

"MARIE!" Jazz shrieked after her friend, but the teenager ignored her and continued running, eventually dashing through a door that led outside and out of sight. Jazz then shot Thomas a furious glare. "HOW COULD YOU **DO** THIS, TOM?! YOU OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF! D'YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU JUST **DID**?!"

Thomas shrugged innocently. "Nope. What'd I do?"

"That's _it_! I've had enough of your garbage!" And with that, Jazz stormed off after Marie.

"Who's garbage?!" called Thomas. "From my viewpoint, I think the garbage is leaving the room!" He then let out a chuckle of euphoria, just as he spotted all the other students staring at him fearfully. "What? _What_?" When he received no response... "**WHAT**?!"

The students, afraid to get caught up in another of his outbursts, resumed their activities. Thomas scoffed as he sat back down on the table, still chuckling.

"Whoa, man," Evan said as he began to applaud. "That. Was. Fantastic. You handled those populars well, Thomas. I'm proud of you, man."

"Are you sure?" asked Z reluctantly. "That looked a little too _harsh_ to me..."

"Same with me," Floyd added.

"Ditto," added Lloyd.

"Hey, I thought this was the point of the Duster Rebel Gang?!" exclaimed Thomas. "What happened to the Three Trials of DMA? Defiance, Mischief, Assault? I was just practicing Trial One. Defiance. I defy my best friend. Isn't that a principle practiced in the Gang?"

"Indeed it is, Thomas, it is," Evan replied, sitting down next to Thomas. "Doesn't everyone agree?" He smiled as everyone else nodded. "That's more like it." Just then, his smile widened, a sign that a new idea had come to him. "You know, let's give that Marie chick some comeuppance. The damn bitch deserves it coming to her. Hey Thomas, does she have an email or some other online contact?"

"She has a Headpage account," said Thomas.

Evan scoffed. "Figures. Anyway, I've got a plan. Listen here-"

"Uh, can I go to the bathroom for a sec?" asked Steven suddenly.

"Now? ...Yeah, sure, go knock yourself out. So, uh, Tommy? Is there anything else she likes?"

* * *

"Marie?" called Jazz as she wandered outside. "Marie?! Marie, where are you, girl?!"

Just then, she heard a female weep. Looking around, the Indian girl saw the door leading to the school swimming pool was ajar. Walking inside and briefly surveying the area, she quickly saw none other than Marie sitting by the lifeguard tower, her face buried in her palms. Cautiously, Jazz walked towards her friend.

"Marie, are you okay, girl?"

"GO AWAY!" screamed Marie.

"Marie, it's just me," replied Jazz. "Don't worry, it's not Tom-"

"DON'T EVEN MENTION HIS NAME!"

"Look, Tom probably didn't even mean what he said-"

Marie looked up at Jazz, her eyes red and her cheeks puffy. "Really?" she asked. "What do you call _that_ back there?"

"Maybe those Gang members put him up to it and he didn't have a choice-"

"No, he meant it. He _meant_ it. He never liked our friends. Especially Adam. He has a lot of reason to say that stuff to us..."

Jazz sighed sadly and sat down next to Marie, patting her back comfortingly. "I know, I know. But just because we have different friends that we disapprove of doesn't mean the three of us can no longer be the best of friends. The three of us have known each other since we were babies, and our friendship hadn't been broken until now. We cannot let this great friendship go! ...We cannot let Tom go."

"But how can we get him to like us again? He hates us. Did you hear what he _called_ us?"

"Yes, yes I did. But I don't think that a simple word is what it takes to break us away from Tom. We need to prove to him that we still care for him!"

"How?"

"Maybe you can start by listening," a new voice said solemnly.

Marie gasped in delight and stood up. "TOMMY!" she screamed as she ran towards the person and hugged him tightly. "Oh, Tommy, I _knew_ you'd come back!"

"Uh...I'm not Thomas."

Marie opened her eyes and released the boy she had hugged: Steven.

"YOU!" Marie shouted, pushing him away in horror. "What're YOU doing here?!"

"I just want to help-" began Steven as he recovered from his brief stupor at being hugged by a girl.

"NO! I DON'T WANT YOUR HELP!" interrupted Marie. "IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT YOU MADE TOMMY THAT WAY!"

"It wasn't my fault! _He_ wanted to join the Gang first. I was just following him!"

"Yeah, says the guy who bullied him on the first day," Jazz said, frowning and crossing her arms.

"I WASN'T BULLYING HIM!" Steven protested.

"Then why'd Adam-"

"DO YOU HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT LYING BASTARD I HAVE TO CALL MY **BROTHER**?!" Steven then noticed the swimming pool and began to tremble, to Marie and Jazz's confusion. Biting his lip and closing his eyes, he continued, more calmly, "I'm not asking you to believe me; I'm offering you help. I honestly don't like Thomas that way either. There's no way that that guy I befriended a couple days ago could turn south so fast."

"What makes you think that we'd help you?" asked Marie.

Steven sighed. "Because he's my friend too. But of course you've fallen for Adam's crap, so I won't bother to convince you to accept my trust anymore. By the way, the Gang's planning to do something to your Headpage account, Marie. I don't know what, but watch out."

And with that, Steven felt the pool area, leaving behind Marie and Jazz, both confused.

* * *

**Next Episode Summary:** The Gang buys a new open-world video game that allows them to entire the world of the game and interact with thousands of other online players. The result is hilarity when they gain the wrath of several other players. But when the game suddenly starts to glitch severely, the players all must find a way to disconnect themselves, as the glitches seem to affect their actual bodies as well...

* * *

**A/N:** Whoa, that's what I call a dramatic chapter! Hopefully the next one will provide you with some humor as recuperation! :D

I'd like to thank those who reviewed (cannot answer reviews right now, sorry):

**woodland5 (guest reviewer)**

**damonika2009**

**Axis22**

**Da Darkest Knight**

**random guy (guest reviewer)**

**pandfrock**

**DMC7500**

**14AmyChan**

**iheartphinabella05**

**Deborahpflover**

Well, hope you enjoyed this rather dramatic chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!


	7. Going Nuts with the Gang

**IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS:**

-Marie Flynn DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Angelus19 and sam-ely-ember.  
-Thomas Fletcher DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Melty19.  
-Jasmine Rai DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to sam-ely-ember and Melty19.

* * *

**Episode 7: Going Nuts with the Gang**

* * *

_**September 9, 2035**_

Thomas yawned and leaned back on the old sofa that belonged to Max, looking up at the poorly-kept ceiling as the other members of the Gang sat on their own chairs or, in Raoul's case, leaned against the wall. Everyone was present except for Steven, who was conspicuously absent, and Max, who was still out of the house, getting something that he described as the Gang's 'big-ass surprise'.

They were all hanging out in Max's house, which was located in a poor section of Danville that was home to murky neighborhoods that held badly-maintained, almost-dilapidated one-story houses and reeked of terrible, strange stenches that might as well be lethal to the lungs. It explained why there was a considerable amount of smell refreshers scattered around in the home the moment Thomas first entered. Even the nasty, overwhelming smell of smoke emanating from Evan's cigarette was outmatched by the overabundance of the refreshers.

It had been two days since his argument with Marie, and yet, it felt much shorter than that. In the hours following the argument, Thomas had begun to progressively regretting saying what he said to his childhood friend. He knew he shouldn't have treated her way that way. But he had a good reason to yell at her like that: she was hanging out with people that he didn't like. Especially clenched his fists; even thinking of that accursed name struck a chord in his mind.

Plus, there was this rather euphoric adrenaline that he received while completing the Three Trials, which seemed to affect his personality altogether like a potent drug. Just yesterday, he neglected doing chores offered by his parents. For one odd reason or another, Ferb and Vanessa, while clearly aware of the problem, both didn't seem to be doing anything about their son's strange change in behavior.

Also during yesterday, it was that time again when the Flynn family and the Johnson family came over to his house for their weekly dinner. Naturally, Marie came over, and she tried to talk to him, but, out of guilt and also continued anger towards her, he ignored her, as he did to Xavier and Fred, who had gotten wind of the story of Thomas's outburst in the cafeteria. For the first time in his life, a Flynn-Fletcher gathering was spent with only the adults talking.

Thomas heard the door open, and he glanced over his shoulder, watching as Max ran into the living room, a small package in his hand and an expression of excitement and anticipation plastered on his face. He looked less like a tough high-school student and more like a giddy schoolboy, a sight that was rather comical in nature.

"You're late, man, and...what the hell is _that_ supposed to be, Max?" Evan spat mockingly. "Another goddamn Z-grade instruction manual on how to build fireworks? We did that before last summer, and we all know how _that_ turned out."

"Hey, man, that little flub was all just because of Floyd's magical catchphrase!" Max exclaimed defensively. "Don't judge me!"

"Don't disrespect the Floyd time!" shouted Floyd defensively, crossing his arms while Lloyd buried his face in his palms in embarrassment.

"Anyway, it's not an instruction manual!"

"What the hell is it, then?" Raoul asked. "You said it'd be a big-ass surprise."

"I'm hoping you're not just duping us, for God's sake," Evan added suspiciously.

"That's because it's not a dupe!" Max grabbed the package wrapper and prepared to rip it off stylistically, but failed to do so. Evan face-palmed himself in flat shock as Max tried continuously to tear off the wrapper. Thomas and Z giggled at Max's embarrassing move while Byron mock-yawned. Finally, Max managed to completely tear the package off, revealing the case to a video game, its title 'BULLETS OF GLORY VII' in full view.

"TA-DA, BITCHES!"

"DUDE!" Z screamed in delighted shock. "No effing **WAY**!"

"Are you kidding me, man?!" asked Lloyd.

"Where the hell did you _get_ that?!" Raoul asked.

"Got this baby from any other video-game store," replied Max as he stroked the case lovingly, as if it were his own child. "There was a really nice sale going on in the store for three days, and I managed to save up-" Several chuckled jeeringly at this remark, but he ignored it. "-enough money to buy this. I told you this would be a big-ass surprise! And now, your jaws have all dropped to the damn floor!"

"Excuse me?" Thomas asked, confused. "Um...what is 'Bullets of Glory VII'?"

Max blinked, while Evan shook his head in mock-disapproval.

"Are you kiddin' me, man?" Z suddenly asked. "You don't know what the hell 'Bullets of Glory VII' is? Do you even know what the 'Bullets of Glory' franchise IS?"

"I'm assuming it's a video-game franchise," replied Thomas.

"Only THE best video-game franchise ever, dude!" Z cleared his throat before continuing. "See, a couple decades ago, some genius guy invented the Online Real-Life Simulator Multiplayer Gaming Console, or the ORLSMGC-"

"That happened to be my step-uncle," Thomas interrupted.

"Okay, that's nice. Anyway, when the ORLSMGC came out, a big storm of ORLSMGC-compatible games followed. 'Ultimate Magical Pony Farm'-" He briefly shuddered, as did the other Gang members. "-'ORLSMGC Sports', 'Masters of Adventure', 'Haunted Treasures'... But probably the best-selling game to be conceived for the ORLSMGC was the first 'Bullets of Glory'. It's practically like 'Grand Theft Auto', but you actually live it out. And since it's an open-world game, there are absolutely _no_ limits to what you can do! You can carjack drivers, rob banks, shoot it out with cops, the like! Man, I remember when I bought the first BOG (the initials for 'Bullets of Glory'); I felt like my life was complete at last." He let out a contented sigh.

Thomas smiled, impressed by the description of the game. "Sounds fun. Let's play it, shall we?"

"That's EXACTLY what we're doing, man!" Max exclaimed, flipping the case coolly. He then looked around the room in search of someone. "Say, uh, where the heck is Steven, anyway? Shouldn't he be here by now? I wanted the entire Gang to play this!"

"I tried calling him twice, but he won't answer his phone," replied Thomas. "I think he's on some sort of errand right now; he told me that he does some things on the weekends." However, his heart sank, for he had a feeling that Adam and/or Mr. Blake were picking on him as he spoke.

Max shrugged nonchalantly as he approached his TV set, which held an ORLSMGC engine. "Whatever, let's connect anyway. I'm afraid Steven's gonna have to miss out on this. The guy's picked a really bad time to run a so-called errand."

* * *

Marie tapped her foot as she patiently waited for Adam. Just a few hours ago, she had received a call from him, telling her to meet him at the Slushy Dawg restaurant. Feeling that she needed a break from her current predicament with Thomas, she acquiesced to the kind offer, and her mother dropped her off a few minutes prior, all the while alternating from squealing in excitement over the fact that her daughter was seeing someone to holding back tears of happiness.

Just then, the door swung open, and Marie watched as Adam entered the restaurant, with, to her surprise, Steven meekly following behind him like a puppy following its owner. She smiled brightly and waved at Adam, who noticed her and sat at her table along with Steven.

"Hi, Adam," she greeted, a blush appearing on her cheeks. "So...what's Steven doing here?"

"My dad's off at his second job at the New Googolplex Mall," Adam replied, patting Steven's back comfortingly, "so I have to watch over him. He can't really operate well in the outside world without proper help, especially after our mom died."

Marie noticed a bright crimson appearing on Steven's face, a crimson that matched the color of his hair as well as hers; however, she couldn't tell if it was supposed to be a blush or an expression of utmost anger. Confusion over Steven's current emotion disappeared, though, when Adam stood up.

"I'll go get us some food," he said. "Would you like anything, Marie?"

"I'll just have a Slushy Deluxe Veggie Burger," replied Marie, smiling. "Thank you very much, Adam."

"Anything for my favorite girl..." Adam took Marie's head and gently kissed it, causing her to giggle girlishly while Steven became redder in the face in disgust. He then walked off towards the register counter, leaving Marie alone with Steven.

"So...uh...Steven..." she said, facing him and innocently rubbing her head in slight embarrassment, "...uh...thanks a lot for all your help with the Headpage thing." She smiled a small smile. "I prepared myself for those photos."

"You're welcome..." replied Steven, equally as embarrassed. They were silent for a few seconds until Marie spoke up again.

"So...how's Tommy?"

Steven shrugged. "He's acting as if the argument never took place." He sighed sadly. "And he's now caught up in the Gang's shit."

Marie winced at Steven's cursing, but she got over it in an instant and asked, "D'you know why Tommy joined the Gang?" When Steven sighed again, this time out of frustration, she regretted asking the question. "Oh. You two don't like Adam."

"FINALLY!" exclaimed Steven. "You recognized it!"

"Why do you hate your brother, Steven? He's a nice guy."

Steven frowned disappointingly, scoffed, and rolled his eyes. "You should see him when we're home. But of course he won't act like that in front of you. He wants you to like him so then he'll have easy access to your body. The guy wants to _own_ you."

"What's this about owning Marie?" Marie and Steven looked up and saw that Adam had returned with his and Marie's orders.

"Nothing..." replied Steven meekly. Adam shot him a dark glare before smiling innocently at Marie.

"Got your veggie burger, Marie, just like you said." He sat down next to Marie and kindly handed her her burger. She glanced at him suspiciously and looked at Steven before unwrapping the burger and taking a bite out of it, while Adam did the same to his order. The first few minutes were spent in silent eating.

Finally, Adam asked, "So, Marie, is it true that your father's the famous Phineas Flynn?"

Marie nodded honestly, as she was eating her burger and knew that it was impolite to speak with her mouth full. Adam nodded back approvingly.

"Love the guy's inventions," he said. "I don't know what I'd do without 'em." As he stated it, he continued staring at Marie with a dreamy expression, but Steven knew that it was his cover for a hungry look as he examined her body.

"That's nice," replied Marie. She looked at Adam. "Adam?"

"Yes, Marie?"

"Do you really think of me as a friend?"

Adam's eyes widened in surprise. "Of course I think of you as a friend! What makes you doubt that?"

"It's just... Tommy really seems convinced that he's telling the truth. I just wanna see if he's actually right, for his sake..." Adam once again shot Steven a dark glare, but Marie didn't notice it, as she looked away to look blankly at her burger. "I've always wanted to be as popular as my parents were in high school, but my dream is compromising my friendship with Tommy. We've been friends since we were little children! I don't wanna let it go..."

"I don't mean to offend you and your friendship with Tommy," said Adam, "but I think that times have changed. Look at Steven!" Marie looked at Steven, and he looked back (that is, if she could see his eyes through the locks of hair that obscured them). "When he was younger, he was the sweetest kid you've ever seen. But when our mom died, he turned very..._bitter_... It was like the old Steven was abducted and replaced with a new one. Someone I can't _trust_..." He put a lot of emphasis on the last word as the athlete stared into Steven with an alarmingly dark look, silencing his brother.

"I think Steven's nice-" began Marie.

Adam turned Marie around and looked into her eyes seriously. "Don't believe a single word that Steven says. He likes to toy with you, maybe to just make himself feel better. But you don't have to let him win you over with his lies!"

Steven's lip trembled, but he was intimidated into silence by the mere presence of Adam. Instead, he meekly shrunk back into his seat, watching Marie helplessly and pitifully as she slowly began to fall victim to Adam's influence. It was as if she was being hypnotized by his piercing gray eyes; her hand seemed to fall loosely from her burger, and her jaw was slowly sliding open in a rather clumsy fashion.

"But-" Marie began, but she was at a loss for words. For some reason, Adam's gray eyes seemed to reach into her soul and tugged at her heartstrings, controlling her decisions and movements like a puppeteer and his wooden puppet.

"Didn't you want to be as popular as your parents in Danville High?" Adam asked, smiling in a sickeningly sweet overtone. "Isn't that what you said, Marie? What good does one friend give you over a group, a _big_ group of friends who treasure you for what you are? You're gonna have to let go of Tommy; he's obviously changed. This is high school, Marie. The rules have changed. _Everyone_ has changed. Maybe it's time you just move on and change too. Don't you agree, Marie?"_  
_

Inside the corners of his mind, Steven begged Marie to disagree. Unfortunately, the redhead was deep in a trance, and she nodded.

"I guess..."

Steven let out a low groan of horror and disappointment.

* * *

_**ZAP!**_

Thomas's jaw dropped open at the sight of his surroundings. Having just signed into the ORLSMGC engine and entered the 'Bullets of Glory VII' game feature, he found himself standing in the middle of a city environment, extremely reminiscent of New Seattle. Skyscrapers towered over him, vehicles and pedestrians passed by him, and a police helicopter flew across the sky, all animated with computer animation. He mentally cursed himself for not trying the ORLSMGC engine before.

He looked up and saw the marker that displayed the username he conceived for himself in full detail: _BritGuyFletcher100_.

"So, how's it going, man?" a familiar voice asked. "Enjoying your first time playing an ORLSMGC-compatible game?"

Thomas turned around and saw the character that Z designed for himself. Above him was his username marker, which read _Ultra Z Pounder_.

"Hey, Z," replied Thomas. "This is amazing!"

"Isn't it? Come on, let's meet the others. Evan, Floyd, Lloyd, and Raoul are over at the gas station back at Rosstown. Max and Byron are on their way there too." Just then, he spotted a stylistic-looking convertible driving down the road. "Ooh, let's jack this car!"

Thomas nodded and instantly ran in front of the car...only to get hit by it and killed.

By the time, Thomas's avatar reappeared alongside Z, he found him laughing.

"What the hell was that, man?!" asked Z between giggles.

"I was trying to stop that car!" Thomas shouted. "God, that was an embarrassing death. I'm taking out the guns." He pulled out a pistol and fired several rounds that hit the convertible's driver. He and Z then ran up to the car; Z pulled the driver's body out as both boarded the convertible, and he drove away.

While on their way to the gas station, the two passed by numerous pedestrians and also even a few other players, whom Thomas could identify from their username markers, which had titles ranging from serious (_ApexPredator01_ and _KillahW-AK_) to confusing (_LookGematria18-15-8-20_ and _Jupiturn Sheath_) to just downright ridiculous (_MamaBoy1234_ and _CatGuyHeart_).

Finally, after recklessly driving out of the urban area and through a large park, running over numerous pedestrians in the process, the two reached their destination in a few minutes (in the game's perspective) and found the rest of the Gang already there, along with a group of five other players, all of whom seemed to be facing the Gang opposite to them, all in threatening and intimidating poses._  
_

Z parked the car, and he and Thomas got out and walked up to Max. As they did, they heard Evan and one of the other players, called _Call Buzz_, furiously arguing with one another, yelling incomprehensible insults at each other.

"What the hell's going on, man?" Z asked, addressing Max.

"One of those guys tried to hop onto a truck that Floyd was stealing first," replied Max. "Byron killed the guy, and one of the guy's friends killed him in response. Then the guys' friends came in, and things just got uglier from there."

"Are players allowed to kill each other?" Thomas asked.

"Yep. Remember, no limits in 'Bullets of Glory'. But it does piss off players who get killed by each other."

"MY GUY WAS TRYING TO JACK THAT TRUCK FIRST!" Evan was screaming. "**YOUR** GUY HAD NO RIGHT TO BUTT IN LIKE AN ASS!"

"HEY, MY FRIEND WAS TARGETING THAT TRUCK TOO!" _Call Buzz_ shrieked in response, pointing at Evan accusingly. "MAYBE IF **YOUR** GUY WAS GENTLEMANLY ENOUGH, THEN WE WOULDN'T BE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION, NOW WOULD WE?! OR MAYBE YOUR GUY WASN'T MAN ENOUGH?"

"DON'T YOU DARE INSULT MY FRIEND'S MANHOOD!"

"OH, I DARE!"

Evan pulled out a shotgun and killed _Call Buzz_ with one shot to the head. "I DEFEND MY FRIEND'S HONOR!" he roared.

"OH NO, YOU **DIDN'T**!" cried one of _Call Buzz_'s players, called _PacksterGuy7_, as he pulled out a rifle and began firing at Evan. Everyone else pulled out their weapons, and a firefight ensued, with each other getting killed after killing another, then reappearing, only to get killed again after a few kills of their own.

After suffering his third fatality, Thomas heard the familiar noise of police sirens. "COPS ARE HERE!" he announced.

"THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO JOIN IN ON THE FUN TOO, MAN!" Floyd shouted in response. "'CAUSE THIS FIGHT'S SHOWING NO SIGNS OF ENDING SOON! IT'S FLOYD TIME!" He then focused his fire at one of the station's fuel pumps, causing it to explode and kill three of the Gang's opponents, but also Lloyd.

"**OH, NO!**" Z screeched as his avatar reappeared while everyone else burst into laughter. "DAMN IT, FLOYD!"**  
**

"What just happened?" asked Floyd stupidly.

"WHAT DO YOU **THINK** HAPPENED?! YOU JINXED IT **AGAIN** WITH YOUR FLOYD TIME!" Letting out a series of comical-sounding battle grunts and groans, Lloyd then fired repeatedly from his assault rifle, striking and killing Floyd. "YAY, REVENGE!"

"Are you kidding me?" groaned Floyd as he fired a shot from his pistol at Lloyd, but hitting Thomas in the shoulder instead.

"Hey, HEY!" Thomas cried. He pulled out a Molotov cocktail and threw it at Floyd, setting him on fire. "Eff you and your Floyd time!"

"DON'T DISRESPECT THE FLOYD TIME!" Floyd roared as he shot and killed Thomas with his pistol before dying.

"DAMN IT!" Thomas shouted.

"Wow, now Thomas, Floyd, and Lloyd are just killing each other," commented Raoul, shaking his head. He then ran up to a police motorcycle that was abandoned and spotted a grenade launcher lying beside it. "Ooh, grenade launcher! I'm getting it!"

The moment he grabbed it, Max shouted, "Hey, I wanted that!" A second later, a shot struck Raoul in the neck and killed him; Max had fired the shot.

"Wow, really?!" snarled Raoul. "Kill him, Evan!"

"Come on, guys," Evan replied as he ran from the gas station while _Call Buzz_ and his friends began to focus their attention on the police, "let's stop fighting and get out of- **ARGH!** AW, DAMN IT!" Another player, called _The Hot Smoker_, had entered the fray and fatally shot him the head._  
_

"Heh," Byron said. "The guy's called _The Hot Smoker_, and Evan smokes. Instant karma." A player called _WhySoSerious_ came up behind him and shot him dead. "Wow."

"Great, now other players are joining in on this firefight," moaned Thomas as several other players began arriving on the scene and firing at each other. "There's like a hundred dudes over here; I'm gonna be dead eighteen times before I can get outta here." _Call Buzz_ suddenly appeared and killed him. "And here's death number one."

"Okay, Gang, we gotta get outta this nightmare," Max announced as he shot two police officers and stole his cruiser. "I've got this police car! Only four people can ride with me when I hightail it, though, so...who will it be?"

"It'd better be ME!" Raoul snarled as he leaped forward in an attempt to grab one of the cruiser's doors as it passed by him, only to land face-first onto the ground and die instantly. "WHAT THE?! **NO**! EFFING GROUND, EFF YOU! ARGH!"

Max pulled up alongside Thomas and Z. "Get in, guys, you're riding with me 'cause you're my favorites!"

"Why, thank you very much, Max man!" Z exclaimed. "You're nice, unlike a certain other dude!" He coughed. "Raoul."

"Hey, since when have I not been nice?" shouted Raoul. "Look at Max; _he_ killed me!"

"WHAT?!" Max cried innocently.

"DON'T DENY IT, MAN, YOU KILLED ME FOR A DAMN GRENADE LAUNCHER!"

"Can we stop arguing, please?" Thomas interjected. "We gotta the hell outta here before we die. Again. Oh dear, here's death number two."

_ApexPredator01_ had reappeared after being killed by Byron and was now firing at Thomas and Z. Just then, _LookGematria18150820_ suddenly appeared from behind the gas station and fired a machine gun at _ApexPredator01_, killing him instantly. He then ran up to Thomas and Z.

"There you go," the player said in what appeared to be an electronically-altered voice. "Now, get outta here, you guys."

"Why, thank you...uh..._LookGematria18150820_..." Z read. "That's quite a long username-"_  
_

"Get outta here NOW."

"Okay, okay, message received!" exclaimed Thomas. "Evan, get a car of your own and gather the rest-"

"No, get out of the _game_," interrupted _LookGematria18150820_ suddenly._  
_

"What?!" exclaimed Max. "Why? I know we started a little gang war, but that's nothing-"

"It's dangerous here. Disaster is afoot. Disconnect _now_."

Thomas raised an eyebrow and prepared to ask a question when Max got out of the cruiser and shot _LookGematria18150820_ twice, killing him._  
_

"The guy's just trying to scare us out so there'll be less of a problem for him!" he exclaimed. "Come on, everyone, we got get outta here!"

* * *

_**In the real world**_

Jazz walked up the doorstep of the Fletcher house, prepared to say all that she could at Thomas. Ever since his outburst, he had refused to speak to her or Marie, and it was tearing especially Marie up on the inside. Determined to not see her friend in so much emotional distress, Jazz knew that it was up to her to put some sense into Thomas, even if it meant literally stuffing it into him. The three had known each other for so many years, and for Thomas to break away from that long-held friendship was something that she just could NOT tolerate!

The Indian girl knocked on the front door, and a minute later, it swung open. She was expecting her Uncle Ferb, or Aunt Vanessa, or even Thomas, but the moment the door swung open, she was greeted, to her surprise, by Fred's face.

"Oh, hey Jazz," he greeted. "What's up, gal?"

"Is Tom there?" asked Jazz, crossing her arms. "I need to have a word with him."

Fred shook his head. "Sorry, Uncle Ferb told me that he went off to hang out with those shady friends of his." He shook his head again, this time in disapproval.

"D'you know where he might've went?"

"Uncle Ferb knows." Fred looked into the house. "HEY, UNCLE FERB! JAZZ WANTS TO ASK YOU SOMETHING!"

A couple of minutes later, Ferb appeared, some grime on his face; he was wearing an apron stained with what appeared to be oil.

"Uncle Ferb, do you know which of his friends' houses Thomas went to?" Jazz asked.

Ferb nodded and escorted Jazz into the house, Fred closing the door behind them.

No one noticed the hover-van, and the driver that was watching them.

* * *

**_Back in the gaming world_**

"**YEE-HAW!**" roared Max as he drove the cruiser down a highway, smashing through other cars effortlessly as Thomas and Z bucked. Following them was a SWAT van that was occupied by the other Gang members and driven by Byron. "SAYONARA, SUCKERS!"

"FINALLY!" Z exclaimed. "We LOST 'em!"

"Uh...what's that?" asked Thomas, pointing down the highway. Max lurched the cruiser to a stop and gasped in shock.

"What the?"

Thomas, Z, and Max watched as a colorful pulse of some sort of energy barreled down the highway in the opposite direction, passing through objects without inflicting any effect whatsoever. But when the pulse passed through them, the trio screamed, feeling as if a large knife was slashing at their organs from the inside.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Max screeched in pain.

He then looked out of the window and watched as the pulse passed through the SWAT van. A minute later, Byron and Evan tumbled out of the front seats, clutching their bodies and moaning in pain. Thomas prepared to get out of the car and run up to the two, but when he did, he suddenly collapsed the ground, feeling all of the energy lost in his limbs. Z and Max also fell out like limp fishes out of an open, fallen bucket.

"What. Was. _That_?" moaned Thomas.

"That looked like a glitch," replied Max. "But glitches don't actually cause _pain_... The ORLSMGC engine is designed to disallow the players to not feel pain at all, should it be from gunshots, falling, getting run over, etc., etc. Not even glitches could affect us... Why'd this one?..."

Thomas's heart fell. "Damn it, Max. It seems as if _LookGematria18150820 _was right. We have to get out of the game. Uh, how do we disconnect?"

"There should be a button on your chest," Z explained. "Like, LITERALLY on your chest, Iron Man-style. Just press it..."

Thomas ripped open his shirt and found a blinking red button. He pressed it...but nothing happened.

"Nothing's happening, Z..."

"Ditto," replied Z.

"What the hell?!" exclaimed Max. "Why can't we disconnect? I'm pressing the button! ...Uh, I don't think the button's supposed to be _red_, it's supposed to be green..."

"GUYS, WHAT'S GOING ON?!" The trio looked up and saw Raoul limping towards them, clutching his stomach as if he were actually shot. "This strange glitch hits us and now we're all in pain! I tried disconnecting, but that stupid button's suddenly blinking red and I can't get out! Neither can the others!"

"Does it look like we know what the hell's going on, Raoul?!" snarled Z. "We need help...but where can we _find_ help?..."

"I think I know where..." Thomas said.

* * *

"Are you kidding me?" asked Z in disappointment as the Gang limped towards the gas station.

The battle had died down, and many cars were strewn about the street, their windows shattered, some of them lying on their sides. The corpses of police officers and bystanders were lying in heaps, bathing in computer-animated blood. To their disappointment, they spotted _Call Buzz_ and his gang. Limping towards them, they were all forced to hold up their hands when the players drew their weapons and aimed them at the Gang.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Thomas exclaimed, stepping forward. "Guys, we need your help!"

"What makes you think we need _your_ help?!" _Call Buzz_ shouted. "It's probably your fault that we're in this mess!"

"You mean you guys are experiencing the same thing?" asked Max. "A strange glitch hits you and you feel actual pain, and you cannot disconnect because your damn button is blinking red? Is that what's happening to you too?"

One of _Call Buzz_'s friends nodded. "You too?"_  
_

Thomas tore his shirt open again and showed them his red chest-mounted disconnect button. The two groups all looked each other and nodded in understanding.

"Well...I guess...we're gonna have to team up..." Evan commented.

"Damn right," _Call Buzz_ replied. "As long as you admit that you guys started our little firefight earlier."

"Never."

"D'you wanna get outta here or not?!"

"Fine, fine, FINE!" snapped Evan. "W-_We_ started this. Now, let's get a move on! D'you guys know what we should do in a situation like this?"

"The creators of this gaming console should've thought this through," one of _Call Buzz_'s colleagues replied. "Maybe they might have built some emergency shutdown activation or something. But, of course, I didn't read the manual..."

"Me neither," _Call Buzz_ replied, while everyone else nodded in agreement. "I guess this is a lesson for all of us: read the goddamn instructions first."

"So...what do we do?" asked Lloyd. "We can't just rot in here! What if another glitch comes? We might die from this one, 'cause I don't think I can take another hit!"

"Follow me," a new voice said.

Everyone looked up at the roof of the gas station and saw _LookGematria18150820_ sitting there, his arms crossed.

* * *

"What the hell's going on here?" asked Evan for the umpteenth time, but _LookGematria18150820_ didn't respond, once again.

The two gangs were following him down the now-abandoned city streets. On their way to their unknown destination, they found other stranded players, all of whom had no other choice to join them. Pretty soon, they were like a mob marching down the street.

"Can you tell us where we're going?" Thomas asked, tapping _LookGematria18150820_'s shoulder.

"You'll see..." the player replied simply. Then, he added, "_Thomas_..."

Thomas stopped in his tracks. "You know my name?"

But _LookGematria18150820_ didn't respond anymore._  
_

The moment the group rounded the corner, they all stopped in their tracks. Lying in the middle of the street was some sort of teleportation device that was big enough to fit only one person. _LookGematria18150820_ approached the device and pressed a green button, activating it; the streets were filled with its loud hum.

"What the hell is THAT?!" Evan asked.

"It's a device I created for this occasion," replied _LookGematria18150820_. "I have been anticipating an attack like this from them, so I came prepared."

"An attack?" a player asked. "From _them_?"

"An attack from who?" Thomas asked. "Tell us! ...Tell me!"

"You'll find out what is happening when you're ready, Thomas," _LookGematria18150820 _replied. "For now, you must go." He inspected a wristwatch that he had been wearing the entire time. "We only have less than half an hour until the next pulse hits." He looked up at Thomas. "You first."

"Wait, when I'm ready for _what_, man?!"

"You'll find out. Just go!"

"No, there's something you're hiding from me!" Thomas clutched the player's jacket and stared into his animated eyes angrily. "You know my name, you were prepared for this occurrence, and most of all, you are _implying_ that something, something possibly big, is coming my way. TELL ME!"

_LookGematria18150820_ was silent for a moment. Then, he leaned towards Thomas's ear.

"I'm afraid I mustn't tell you, lest everything we know be destroyed. Just go. NOW."

Gritting his teeth in frustration, Thomas obliged and stepped inside the strange machine. He nodded at the Gang, all of whom, except Evan and Byron, nodded back. A second later, _LookGematria18150820 _pressed a button...

* * *

_**ZAP!**_

Thomas yelled out and quickly removed the helmet off of him, as if it were a ravenous creature whose jaws had clamped upon his head. He then cast a glance at the rest of the Gang, just as they, one by one, began returning to the real world. First Evan, then Z, then Floyd, then Lloyd, then Raoul, and finally Max.

"Whoa, what just happened?" Floyd exclaimed, looking around. "Are we back in the real world? Or is this...another _illusion_?..."

Lloyd face-palmed himself in embarrassment as Floyd stood up and began feeling the walls. In the meantime, Thomas stood up the moment the doorbell rang. Running up to the front door, he quickly unlocked it and opened it.

"Steven, you have no idea what we-" Thomas began, but he saw that it was Jazz, Xavier, and Fred.

"So, having fun, Tom?" Jazz asked, her arms crossed.

Thomas frowned at the sight of his former friends. "I don't wanna talk to you," he spat, feeling his head spin from the overwhelming nature of what he experienced. "I just had a really rough day today. I nearly just got killed in a freakin' video game, so if you'll excuse me, I'll be shutting the door in your faces now. Goodbye."

"Stop, Tom," snapped Jazz. "We HAVE to talk."

"About what? There's nothing you can do to change my mind about cutting off our friendship. You and Marie are now officially caught in Adam's shit, so why must I even bother to try and convince you to leave that psychopath anymore? Huh? Huh? Thought so."

"Tom-"

"Bye-bye." Thomas prepared to close the door when...

"Fine then, but Marie's dating Adam, FYI!"

Thomas froze. He felt as if a knife cut his heart in two. Now he officially had TWO problems...

* * *

**Next Episode Summary:** Marie goes on her first official date with Adam, while Thomas broods over the fact that the girl he likes had gotten away.

* * *

**A/N:** And here's the latest, and the longest chapter yet! I enjoyed writing this one, especially the parts where the Gang waged war with the other players. Although I felt that it went too fast. But, I guess that's what I get for using the series format.

I'd like to thank those who reviewed (cannot answer reviews AGAIN, sorry):

**Da Darkest Knight**

**random guy (guest reviewer)**

**Deborahpflover**

**woodland5 (guest reviewer)**

**humanusscriptor**

**14AmyChan**

**Axis22**

**damonika2009**

**Sabrina06**

**iheartphinabella05**

Well, hope you enjoyed this chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!


	8. Marie's First Date

**A/N:** I am SO SORRY for the long update, folks! I've been distracted lately, and plus, I needed to update "A Love Unexpected". But now, I managed to get back to this.

ENJOY!

**IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS:**

-Marie Flynn DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Angelus19 and sam-ely-ember.  
-Thomas Fletcher DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Melty19.  
-Jasmine Rai DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to sam-ely-ember and Melty19.  
-Bridgette Clark DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Orthgirl123, Angelus19, and sam-ely-ember.

* * *

**Episode 8: Marie's First Date**

* * *

_**September 15, 2035**_

"OH, WHAT THE HELL?!" Lloyd screamed as Brad's car violently rammed against the side of Floyd's car again as the two flew down a winding mountainside road. "THIS DAMN REDNECK'S TRYING TO RUN US OFF THE ROAD!"

"GODDAMN IT!" shrieked Max as his fingers raked against his skin violently, turning it blotchy-red. "IT'S BRAD!"

"OH, NO!" Z cried as he looked out of his window, observing as a flimsy-looking fence, which barred hovermobiles from going over the cliff, came dangerously closer to Floyd's car. "WE'RE GONNA DIE! I DON'T WANNA DIE! FLOYD, GET US OUTTA HERE!"

"I'M TRYING!" shouted Floyd as he tried to evade Brad, but when the athlete rammed his car against Floyd's again, Floyd's eyes narrowed menacingly. "That's it, man. You have screwed over my lovely Veronica..._for the last time_. Now...**IT IS FLOYD TIME**!"

"NO, NO, NO!" Lloyd replied loudly as he flailed his arms in enraged protest. "NO FLOYD TIME! NO FLOYD TIME! NEVER AGAIN WITH FLOYD TIME!"

"OHHHHH...**FLOYD TIME**!" roared Floyd in triumph as he rammed his vehicle against Brad's with as much force as he could put into it. The opposing hovermobile then skidded further down the road, out of control, but then, it quickly recovered and violently crashed against Floyd's.

The hovermobile crashed through the protective fence and plummeted down a cliff.

"OH GOD, OH GOD!" Max screeched, itching his chest. "FLOYD, PULL THIS THING UP! **WHY** AM I SO ITCHY?!"

"I-I _CAN'T_! THE LEVITATION LEVER WENT OUT AGAIN!"

Z, Max, and Floyd all let out bloodcurdling screams of terror at the top of their lungs, while Lloyd hollered in rage, "DAMN IT, FLOYD! DAMN YOU AND YOUR FLOYD TIME!"

"**DON'T DISRESPECT THE FLOYD TIME AAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!**"

The only one who did not scream was Thomas, who was instead holding on tightly to his seat, feeling his heart hammer extremely hard against his rib-cage. He could see the ground coming perilously closer and closer, ready to greet Floyd's hovermobile. The five were just mere seconds from the welcoming arms of Death, who just had to graciously gift them with death by a violent car crash. Thomas began to hope that it'd be quick.

As the ground grew nearer and nearer, Thomas felt time beginning to slow down, almost to a halt, as his memories began to roll. His entire life was flashing through his eyes, most of which included fond memories of him spending time with Marie. Marie, the one who cared the most about him, the one who enjoyed him for who he was, the one who always smiled whenever he came into the room...the one he dearly loved...

..._The one who got away_...

"I'm gonna die," thought Thomas sadly. "Oh, _why_? Why do I deserve this? What did I _do_ to make me deserve this? ...Oh, I should've known _better_ than to yell at Marie last week. Now...I'm gonna die, and I'm gonna die without her loving me... If only the grip was tighter..."

* * *

_**September 14, 2035**_  
_**One day earlier**_

"Marie, you can't be SERIOUS!" Thomas yelled, holding onto Marie's arm tightly. "You can't possibly be dating that...that...psychopathic **BASTARD**!"

"Since when'd you become so concerned for me all of a sudden, Tommy?!" Marie shouted back as she tore her arm free from Thomas's vice-like grip. "Last week, you're ranting on about how we don't approve of each other's friends, and that we should stop being friends! But now, you're acting like my mom, watching over my shoulder, thinking what's best for me! Honestly, Tommy, I can't honestly decide what you're trying to do here!"

"MARIE, I'M TRYING TO STOP YOU FROM BECOMING A POPULAR LIKE THOSE PSYCHOPATHS AND THEIR SLUT FRIENDS!"

Fortunately, Marie and Thomas were arguing outside of the cafeteria, so fewer people wouldn't have to bear witness to their heated wrath at one another.

"You know, Tommy," Marie said, "while I think that Adam's wrong about Steven being the lying psychopath, I honestly don't think he is capable of all the things you say he does! I mean, where's the proof, Tommy?! I have yet to see proof! Huh? Where is it?!"

"I DON'T FUCKING HAVE IT RIGHT NOW 'CAUSE THAT DAMN ADAM THINKS AHEAD," roared Thomas, "BUT WHILE I AM AT IT, DO NOT DATE HIM!"

"In all of my honesty, Tommy, I think Adam's most right about you. You _have_ changed. You've changed ever since you stepped foot in this place. Ever since you joined that...that Gang. You're now a different person. I barely _know_ you now. You're not the Tommy I once knew!"

"And YOU are not the Marie I once knew!" Thomas pointed his index finger at Marie angrily. "You-you're wearing slutty clothes that show off too much of your body, you hang out with the wrong crowd, and worst of all, you are dating a completely, utterly psychopathic bastard who loves seeing what the hell he sees in a damn mirror!"

"Adam's not a psychopath, and besides, this is what our parents did when _they_ were in high school!"

Thomas smirked and raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "Really? Is _this_ what our parents have done here? Hang out with groups that we'd cast doubt on, wear revealing clothes (in the girls' cases), and, of course, ARGUE? Like what we're doing now? Huh? Is this what my parents and your parents did here every day?"

"I doubt it, but-"

"But what, Marie?!" Thomas turned around, his trench-coat flying as he stared down the hill at several students sitting there. There was a group of bullies picking on a nerd, a couple making out rather too intimately, and some shady-looking boys concealing something that they seemed to be sniffing. "What, Marie?! Huh?! Look at this place, Marie! Did our parents tell us about THIS part of Danville High? That there was a severe bullying problem, that students were banging each other prematurely, that there was illegal activity going on here? HUH?!"

The boy turned around again to face her, staring into her blue eyes with his own, which were smoldering with white-hot hatred. "You know, Marie, I found that there was another reason to join the Gang. THEY are the only ones who have seen _through_ this school's internal problem, who are trying to _remedy_ it!"

In a fanatical fashion, he placed his hands on Marie's shoulders and held on tightly.

"Marie," Thomas said, "_please_...come with me... Come with me and ditch your damn friends...before it's too late for you... Just come with me..."

Marie frowned disapprovingly at him and wrested herself away from Thomas's grip.

"Never," she spat. "And I'm dating Adam, whether you like it or not. So, thanks for the concern, _Mom_, but I'm doing it! There's nothing you can say to change that!"

And with that, she turned around and headed back into the cafeteria, leaving him alone. Boiling hot with anger, Thomas stamped his foot furiously on the ground of the hillside, just as he heard footsteps behind him. He sighed and bowed his head as the corners of his eyes caught more trench-coats.

"It's too late, Thomas, man," Evan said. "Marie's already become a _popular_. Meaning that she can no longer be given immunity from Operation: Red Thunder."

Thomas sighed as he watched Marie through the windows; she was sitting down with Jazz, Adam, Bridgette, Sasha, Rosa, and all of their other friends. He growled in hatred as Adam wrapped an arm around Marie's back and pulled her close, kissing her hair while Sasha and Rosa both struggled to hold back bouts of squealing.

"I guess so..." he said. Thomas then turned to the rest of the Gang. "So...you guys get the itching powder?"

"Goddamn Finnish guy!" snapped Raoul, raising a small, half-empty sack. "The guy's a hoax!" He threw the sack onto the ground in fury, spilling out a dusty, pale-white powder. "The powder's done nothing to our guinea pig; it's useless shit!"

"You know, why does 'guinea pig' always have to equal ME?" Max asked as he lightly scratched his left wrist.

* * *

_**September 15, 2035**_

With all of his might, Thomas began throwing a barrage of punches at a punching bag Raoul loaned to him a couple of days earlier. Feeling his rage channel through his fists and into the punching bag, he continued punching, increasing the intensity of his assault. However, with every enraged, destructive punch he threw, he could feel the anger return to his soul, stronger and more potent than before, as if it were a creature adapting to the surroundings of Thomas's body.

Suddenly, the bedroom was filled with the ringing of Thomas's cell phone. Sighing angrily, he took it and examined it. Steven was calling him.

Sighing again, he decided to answer it. "What, Steven?" Thomas snarled. "What could you possibly have for me that's important enough to waste my time?!"

"It's Adam." Steven's voice was strangely low, as if he were whispering. "I overheard him talking to Brad on the phone. He plans on taking Marie to Danville Mountain Park for the date, and he's gonna bang her there!"

Thomas's eyes widened in horror and revulsion at the revelation. "WHAT?!" he screamed. He then calmed down and continued, "Okay, Steven, thanks for telling me. What can you do to distract him while I get Marie? Is there anything?"

"There's nothing I can do that involves him not punching me...but I'm gonna have to take my chances-" Steven stopped suddenly.

"Steven? Steven? Are you still there? Hello, Steven? _Steven_?!"

The line suddenly went dead.

Thomas dropped the phone in shock. He then cast a glance at his pet chameleon, Steve, who had been sitting on a drawer, surveying him the entire time.

"What?"

Steve just blinked.

* * *

As Phineas drove his hovermobile down a street, heading for Adam's house, Marie allowed herself to delve into the realm of her thoughts. She didn't know how all of this came to be. First thing she knew, she was doubting Adam's credibility. But when they conversed about the matter at Slushy Dawg... The way his sincerity seemed to flow through his voice like a melody, the way his gray eyes seemed to tear through the heart and into her soul... Them becoming a couple all just clicked into place!

Just then, she was distracted by Thomas and Steven. Their statements of loathing towards Adam and concern towards her were replaying in her mind.

She knew the advice given by Phineas was correct; she knew Thomas longer than she did with Adam, and therefore she should trust him and therefore Steven as well. But, judging by the way Adam described the situation, with everyone changing during their high-school years, Marie didn't know if she could trust Thomas, her best and closest friend, anymore. After all, he had joined a gang of cruel, mean-spirited troublemakers; this served as a great compromise to his credibility.

"Here we are, Marie," Phineas announced suddenly, pulling Marie out of her thoughts. "The address Adam gave you."

Marie blinked in confusion. Judging from the salary Mr. Blake would get from his job as a schoolteacher and his other job at the New Googolplex Mall, she thought that the Blakes would be living in a decent house, but no. The family lived in a dilapidated, poorly-kept, terrible suburban neighborhood. Ignoring the murky surroundings, she prepared to get out of the car and head for the Blakes' front door when Phineas suddenly spoke up.

"Just a sec, Marie."

Marie looked at her father. "Yes, Dad?" she asked.

It was silent in the car, and Marie feared that her father might disapprove at the last second and drive her home. But, he smiled approvingly.

"Have fun," he replied.

Marie smiled and kissed her father in the cheek. She prepared to get out again when...

"And your mom says to be careful. She thinks that it's a bit suspicious that this Adam character would wanna ask you out so early in the school year, and that he would be setting his sights on a freshman. ...It's feelings I share, Marie, so please, be careful not for Mom's sake, but mine."

Again, Marie smiled. "I will, Daddy. Bye."

Finally, without any further hindrances, Marie got out of Phineas's hovermobile and walked calmly towards the Blake house. Approaching the front door, she rang the doorbell, hearing a rather ominous noise echo inside. The teenage girl looked back at Phineas's hovermobile; her father nodded at her. She then surveyed the rest of the shady neighborhood. It was a rather depressing sight; the plant life was all dead and hollow, the houses were in danger of imploding on themselves, the corners of each and every structure looked ripe to house the most disgusting lifeforms...

The door swung open, revealing Steven. Marie nearly yelped in shock at the sight of his face; it looked bruised, and his lower lip was cut.

"H-Hi, Steven..." Marie greeted calmly, struggling to compose herself from the shock. "W-What happened to your face?"

"Fell down some stairs," replied Steven quickly. For some reason, Marie sensed that something was wrong with Steven's response, but she decided to ignore it when Adam appeared; he was wearing his basketball uniform, which exposed his muscular arms.

"Hey, Marie, babe," greeted Adam as he kissed her straight on the lips; Steven's face turned into an ugly shade of green as he watched. When he parted his lips from hers, he looked into her flustered, shocked face and asked, "Ready?"

"Y-Y-Yeah..." Marie stuttered, feeling her lips, taken aback by her first kiss.

"Steven's gonna have to come with us; our dad's over at his job at the mall again." He smiled as he looked over Marie's shoulder, staring at Phineas's hovermobile. "I assume that's your father. How are you doing, Mr. Flynn?"

As Adam ran over towards her father's hovermobile, Marie looked after him and struggled to hold back a girlish squeal. Steven looked at her and sighed hopelessly.

* * *

"MAX, MAX, MAX!" Thomas shouted as he repeatedly hammered at the front door with his fists. "MAX, OPEN UP! I NEED YOUR HELP!"

The door swung open, revealing a furious Max; Z and Raoul were standing behind him, both equally frustrated. "WHA- **OW!**" Thomas's fist, aiming to hit the door once again, accidentally hit Max's forehead. "THE HELL, MAN?!"

"Sorry, Max, but I need your help. I need the Gang's help. Adam's gonna bang Marie, and I REALLY need to stop him. But I can't do it without the Gang's help."

Max shook his head as he itched his forehead furiously. "Sorry, man, but you heard Evan. Marie's become a popular already; it's too late for her. Besides, the Gang is helping some engineers inspect the problem the ORLSMGC console suffered when we played 'Bullets of Glory'. Damn guys are Mexicans; they're not understanding our English well. It's pissing Evan off really well, that number."

"Screw Evan! Screw your problem with the ORLSMGC!" snarled Thomas. "Z, Max, you have described the Gang as a brotherhood, right?"

"Yeah," Z replied. "And your point is?..."

"My point is that, as my blood brothers, you are to HELP me!"

Max crossed his arms, one of them itching the other, and said, "Well, you're not helping us with OUR problem right now!"

"_Please_," pleaded Thomas. "_Please_, guys... Help me... _Please_..."

Z sighed and placed a hand on his forehead, while Max looked reluctant to make a decision.

"Look, we'd love to help you with your problem with your girlfriend, but it won't matter if we decide to help you," said Z. "Evan won't approve, no matter what appeals you make to him, and he's got Byron to back him up..."

"I'll distract them," Raoul suddenly said. "The rest of you guys help Thomas."

"Oh, thank you, guys!" exclaimed Thomas. "Thank you! I knew I could count on you guys!"

Raoul smiled. "Don't mention it."

"Uh, guys?" asked Max as he continued to scratch his forehead, his unoccupied hand moving to his elbow. "How come I'm unusually itchy right now?"

* * *

Brad and Mike, Adam's lackeys, watched as Thomas talked with Z, Max, and Raoul from the safety of Brad's hovermobile. Adam had ordered them to spy on Thomas in case he tried to intervene with his date with Marie.

"Don't count on stopping our boss, buddy," Brad sneered.

"Let's get 'em!" exclaimed Mike excitedly.

"Not now. We need to get 'em when there's no witnesses." Brad grinned maliciously as he flew his hovermobile into the sky. "And I know where to intercept them."

* * *

_**"Turn right onto Danville Mountain Avenue."**_

"Shut up, GPS, I know where I'm going!" snapped Floyd as he turned his hovermobile to the right.

"Uh, exactly how'd Raoul distract Evan and Byron while we went up to the park?" asked Max, looking at Z, itching his neck as he did so.

"It's..._complicated_," Z replied simply.

* * *

_**Meanwhile...**_

"It's simple, Mr. Gonzalez!" snapped Raoul, addressing a confused Mexican engineer. "Just look into the ORLSMGC engine and find what caused those strange bugs!"

"_¿Qué?_" replied the engineer.

"I said look into the ORLSMGC engine and find those bugs me and my friends encountered while using it a couple of days ago!"

"_¿Qué?_"

"Look into the ORLSMGC engine and find those bugs me and my friends encountered while using it a couple of days ago!"

"_¿Qué?_"

"Look into the console!"

"_¿Qué?_"

"Look into the nice-looking box with the slot in it!"

"_¿Qué?_"

"INSPECT THE DAMN BOX!"

"_¿Qué?_"

"This is gonna take a while," noted Evan, looking at Byron. Byron sighed and nodded in agreement before stuffing his mouth full of potato chips.

The both of them didn't notice the clever smirk Raoul was wearing on his face as he continued to yell at the engineer.

* * *

Floyd's hovermobile sped further down the road, its occupants all wearing determined expressions, especially Thomas.

_"Don't worry, Marie,"_ thought Thomas. _"I'm coming."_

Little did anyone know that they sped past Brad's hovermobile, which was sitting in the parking lot of an empty rest stop. Brad and Mike chuckled maliciously and with anticipation as the former started up his car and flew after him.

"Not so fast, man," said Brad.

* * *

_**Present time**_

"**AAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!**" screamed everyone except for Floyd and a rigid, paralyzed Thomas as Floyd's hovermobile plummeted towards the ground.

"COME ON, VERONICA!" Floyd roared as he continued to pull the levitation lever, the only device that could save them all, only to be greeted with a hollow clank. "DO NOT DIE ON ME NOW! COME ON, GIRL, I KNOW YOU CAN DO THIS! MAKE IT, MAKE IT, **MAKE IT**!"

Finally, Floyd pulled the lever again, and this time, the vehicle responded with a low humming sound. Soon, the car automatically flew upward, just before it can collide painfully with the awaiting ground. Laughing with utmost relief, Floyd adjusted the car's flight and flew in a straight line; everyone else let out relieved sighs.

"Goddamn it, Floyd, you DID it!" Lloyd exclaimed.

"Hooray..." added Max hollowly as he continued to itch himself.

"And what do you know?" exclaimed Floyd. "I see the park!"

He pointed out of the windshield; Thomas and the others looked out and saw a parking lot, surrounded by a large sheet of treetops, coming closer and closer. Several cars were currently occupying the lot. Thomas smiled with relief; there was no way he was gonna ruin this chance now.

"I **TOLD** YOU NOT TO DISRESPECT THE FLOYD TIME!" Floyd hollered triumphantly. "BUT DID YOU LISTEN?! **NO**!"

* * *

Just simultaneous to the Gang's near-death experience, Adam had pulled his hovermobile into the parking lot of the Danville Mountain Park and settled it onto a vacant space, which had a cliff directly in front of it, barred off only by a simple fence. The cliff offered an excellent view of all of Danville, something that Marie marveled at.

Once he shut off the hovermobile, Adam glanced at Steven. "Bro, would you mind giving me and Marie some space?" he asked.

"So I don't have to interfere when you bang Marie?" replied Steven bitterly.

Adam looked at Marie, who gave him an inquisitive look; he smiled innocently at her before turning back to Steven.

"Steven, man, I don't want you to feel like a third wheel on this motorcycle, which is why-"

"But that was the point, isn't it?" Steven interrupted. "Bringing me along? So I can feel more worthless about myself as I watch you bang her? Is it?"

"Stop speaking nonsense and just go, man."

"I'm not letting you do her over."

"Steven, just go." This time, it was Marie who said it. She was looking at Steven with soft but stern eyes. "Please, just _go_."

She couldn't see it, but Steven blinked. Then, he angrily opened the door, stepped out out of the vehicle, and slammed it shut. The redheaded boy then looked through the passenger window, into Marie's eyes. His bared teeth were clenched, and Marie could see a single tear running down his cheek.

"FINE!" he shouted. "GO AHEAD, MARIE! GO ON! GET BANGED! IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT, THEN FINE BY ME!"

And with that, Steven stomped off.

"Jeez, Steven needs to take a chill pill," commented Adam. "He speaks of such nonsensical rambles all the time."

Marie nodded absentmindedly. "Adam?" she asked.

"Yeah?"

"You say Steven's been acting that way ever since your mother died. What...what _happened_ to her?"

Adam shook his head disapprovingly. "Let's not focus on that. Let's focus on the beautiful sight that's before us-"

"Adam, _please_," interrupted Marie. "Steven's troubled. I just wanna help him. Just tell me what happened, and then we'll get on with the date-"

"Come on, Marie! What kind of opportunity is there in trying to look into the past to help him? It's all formulaic; whatever happened to our mom, whether she got sick, or was murdered, or drowned...it doesn't matter! Steven was traumatized, and he's now in a position he cannot be brought back from! Come on, Marie, let's not worry about my brother tonight and just absorb this lovely sight!"

He gestured toward the view of Danville. Marie examined it and sighed reluctantly.

"I guess so..." she said.

For a few minutes, the couple stared out of the windshield, at Danville. From far away, it was quite a spectacle. Lights were shining like stars, and they could see some movement in the form of stoplights and moving hovermobiles and what else... Marie started to forget about Steven's predicament.

"It's beautiful, Adam."

"Yeah. Beautiful..." But Adam was looking at Marie. She looked back and blushed.

Before she knew it, she was kissing Adam again. But...something was _wrong_ with this kiss. Unlike her first kiss, it wasn't passionate and gentle; it seemed greedy, as if Adam was trying to take control of her mouth. And there was the way his hands were roaming around her body...

"Wait, Adam," Marie said as she broke away. "What're you doing?"

"Huh?"

"Your hands, they're going all over my body, trying to reach places..." She wrapped her arms around her own body, almost defensively. To her confusion, Adam smiled kindly, yet she couldn't see the kindness in it this time.

"It's okay, Marie. Every couple does this on their first date."

"Uh..._really_?" Marie wasn't convinced.

"Believe me, babe, I know. Sasha's done it, Rosa's done it, Bridgette has yet to do it, but she's not far behind... Every high-school girl does it."

Marie's eyes watched as Adam reached into his pocket. She heard the sound of crumpling rubber...

"I don't know..." she said.

"Marie, this what every popular girl does on practically every date! ...You _want_ to be popular, do you?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"Then it's settled." Adam took out his pocket's contents. It was confirmed; the thing inside was a condom.

Marie bit her lip, partly in confusion as to how long Adam had been carrying the thing...and partly in confusion over whether this is what her parents would have done. They never really went into specifics over what happened during their dates, leaving what they did pretty open-ended...

Suddenly, Marie found an excuse to cut this date short, for she saw something twinkle in the sky. Looking up, she saw a hovermobile flying towards the parking lot.

"Huh?" Adam looked out of the windshield and spotted the hovermobile. "What in the world?..."

The two got out of the car and were quickly joined by Steven as they watched the strange hovermobile settle onto the street with some difficulty. The doors flew open simultaneously, and the first to get out was Max. He was scratching his body furiously.

"Damn it, NOW the itching powder's acting up!" he screamed. "Raoul, you're SO gonna get it once we get back to the house!"

"We _made_ it!" Floyd exclaimed as he stepped out. "And _you_ kept disrespecting the Floyd time! The Floyd time's what got us here, man!"

"I kept speaking ill of your so-called Floyd time because something bad ALWAYS happens!" shouted Lloyd as he tumbled out of the car in a comical fashion. "For all we know, this car broke down the moment you landed it!"

"MARIE!"

Marie watched as Thomas, followed closely by Z, ran up to her and hugged her tightly, taken her aback.

"W-What're you _doing_ here, Tommy?" she asked in shock.

"I'm here to stop that BASTARD from taking your innocence away!" Thomas stalked towards Adam. "You stay away from Marie now, you hear me? Or else!"

"Jeez, man, CALM DOWN!" exclaimed Adam. "I didn't bang Marie! Not yet, that is!"

"AH-HA!" Thomas turned to Marie and pointed a finger at Adam. "See _that_, Marie?! He _admitted_ that he was planning on _banging_ you! That makes him a lying, conniving, narcissistic, psychopathic, STEALING **BASTARD**! And you cannot date him anymore because of that!"

"HEY! I was only planning on banging Marie because it's a tradition for teenage couples to have sex during their first dates! A seal-the-deal type of thing, if I say so."

"What kind of tradition is that bullshit?!" exclaimed Z.

"This is only means to claim ownership over Marie, you bastard," Steven snarled, turning on Adam. "But that plan's not gonna work!"

"Yeah?" replied Adam. "How come?"

"Because Marie is a good, moralistic person, and she'd NEVER let that happen to her!" Thomas snarled.

Their argument instantly became mixed with Floyd's and Lloyd's argument as well as Max's ranting in hatred directed at Raoul. Everyone except Marie was yelling, and pretty soon, a crowd of other motorists present in the park began to form. The air began to fill with yelling...

"THAT'S **ENOUGH**!"

Thomas, Steven, Z, Adam, Max, Floyd, and Lloyd, all silenced by the abrupt outburst, looked at Marie, whose eyes were full of tears.

"I don't know what's going on anymore, or who to trust!" she yelled. The girl first looked at Thomas. "Tommy, you seemed really convinced that Adam is a bad person, and you're my best friend, but I can't come to believe you ever since you joined the Gang." She then looked at Adam. "Adam, you're a great guy, but you were trying to have sex with me, telling me that it's supposed to be a tradition. I can't do this right now! I wanna go home!"

"But, babe-" began Adam.

"Take me home NOW, Adam," Marie interrupted. "Otherwise...I'm gonna regret becoming your girlfriend!"

Adam sighed, knowing that he had no other choice, and walked towards his hovermobile.

"Marie..." Thomas began, stretching out his hand towards her, but she stepped away.

"I don't know what's going on with you, Tommy," she said sternly. "First, you are yelling at me and calling me cruel names. Then, you become extremely concerned for my well-being. Next thing I know, you're back to stage one, yelling at me! Now, you're back to stage two! You're hopping back and forth, Tommy! And I can't deal with that right now." She bit her lip as she continued to hold back her tears with difficulty. "...Goodbye."

Before Thomas could stop her, Marie already walked towards Adam's hovermobile without another word. He looked at Steven, who patted his shoulder comfortingly.

"Look on the bright side, man," he said, "at least you cock-blocked Adam."

Thomas nodded slightly as Steven walked toward his brother's hovermobile. However, he still wasn't satisfied with the results. He had wanted to expose to Marie the true Adam, but this latest attempt failed. Watching as Adam's hovermobile flew into the sky, Thomas sighed and walked back towards Z and the rest of the Gang, all of whom were wearing solemn expressions. The crowd of onlookers started dispersing, the conflict having been solved.

"It's okay, man," Z said as he wrapped an arm around Thomas, guiding him to Floyd's car. "Like Steven said, we cock-blocked that damn Adam. One step closer, man."

"I guess..."

Everyone got back into the hovermobile, and Floyd started up the car.

However, they were greeted with a sputtering noise, followed by a descending humming tone. The car had broken down.

"DAMN IT, FLOYD! DAMN YOU AND YOUR FLOYD TIME!"

"**DON'T DISRESPECT THE FLOYD TIME!**"

It was awkwardly silent. Then...

"God, I'm still SO itchy..."

* * *

Little did anyone know that someone other than the crowd of onlookers had been watching them the entire time...

* * *

**_September 17, 2035_**

Thomas sighed sadly as he looked across the school cafeteria, watching as Marie sat down between Adam and Bridgette, engaging in conversation with them and Jazz as she laughed heartily. Steven had informed him of what happened yesterday: Adam called Marie, apologized to her for his behavior during their date, and said that they would never have sex during their dates, that it was okay. He had put up quite a good show, complete with crying and begging.

And, lo and behold, Marie fell for it, hook, line, and sinker. The two were a couple again.

"Face it, man, it's too late for her." Thomas looked up and saw Evan sitting down next to him, a solemn, pitiful expression on his face. "Marie's gone. She is a popular now, whether you like it or not. You gotta learn to accept that and move on with life." He looked into Thomas's eyes seriously. "Will you?"

Thomas blinked and looked back at Marie. When he saw her kiss Adam...he nodded.

Evan smiled and clapped Thomas in the back.

"That's my boy," he said.

* * *

**Next Episode Summary:** Fred's suspicions on Adam being a bastard are confirmed, and he and a reluctant Jazz team up with Steven to break Adam and Marie up, and then hook Marie up with Thomas. However, their quest turns up unexpected results.

* * *

**A/N:** Well, things are really spiraling down in this madness. It's only gonna get worse in the next chapter...

I'd like to thank those who reviewed:

**Deborahpflover**

**woodland5 (guest reviewer):** Who's that? EDIT: Never mind, I just found out who she is. XD And yes, I decided to put her in! :D

**damonika2009:** Look at the bright side, the date didn't turn out how Adam wanted it to be. :D

**random guy (guest reviewer):** Yes, that'd be awesome...

**14AmyChan:** You'll find out who that other player is soon... ;)

**TheNargana**

**iheartphinabella05**

**DMC7500**

**Axis22:** It's gonna take a couple of episodes for that to happen, but it's gonna happen! And soon! :D

Well, hope you enjoyed this pointlessly late chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!


	9. Fred and Jazz in Matchmaker Cavalcade

**A/N:** Sorry for the slow update. I've been busy. But now...I have enough time to update this! HOORAY!

ENJOY!

**IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS:**

-Marie Flynn DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Angelus19 and sam-ely-ember.  
-Thomas Fletcher DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Melty19.  
-Jasmine Rai DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to sam-ely-ember and Melty19.  
-Bridgette Clark DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Orthgirl123, Angelus19, and sam-ely-ember.  
-Destiny "Dezz" Horowitz DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Ciomy.  
-Daniel or "Danny" DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Ciomy.

**Edit:** humanusscriptor pointed out a little flub on my part. I have it fixed now. Thanks, humanusscriptor, for the heads-up!

* * *

**Episode 9: Fred and Jazz in Matchmaker Cavalcade**

* * *

_**September 25, 2035**_

"Ooh, Adam Blake and Marie Flynn, officially a couple!" squealed Bridgette. "I anticipate you two becoming the hottest couple in Danville High! EEK!"

"Marie, I'm SO proud of you, girl!" Jazz cried, hugging her friend. "Already a few weeks into high school and you've got a boyfriend! Jeez, I'm so jealous!"

"Don't be, Jazz," replied Marie modestly. "I'm pretty sure you'll find a cute guy heading your way soon."

Bridgette coughed. "Brad."

Jazz shot Bridgette a mock-nasty glare, and then, the trio of schoolgirls giggled girlishly as they walked down a hallway of the school, having just finished third period, Algebra. A number of students waved at them as the three passed by, waves directly mostly at Marie, whose romantic involvement with famous high-school basketball player Adam Blake had spread through the school gossip like a raging wildfire. And quite naturally, their relationship was graciously accepted by a vast majority of the students, and even teachers who got wind of the news. Practically everyone supported the Adam/Marie coupling.

As the trio of schoolgirls approached Marie's locker, they found someone familiar walking towards the same location.

Marie smiled a warm, welcoming smile. "Hi, Steven," she greeted.

The redheaded boy spotted Marie and frowned nastily. He leaned against the lockers and crossed his arms.

"Hello, Marie," replied Steven bitterly. "Enjoying being Adam's bang-toy?"

"Don't call it that way, Steven. I know Adam tried to have sex with me, but he was just trying to fulfill that stupid school tradition. But he says that we really don't _have_ to anymore- Hey, don't you roll your eyes at me like that, Steven!"

Steven gave her an ugly expression in response. "So what? You'd better watch your back, Marie. Adam wants to bang you; he's only holding back because he doesn't wanna let you get away. He doesn't love you, Marie." He then rolled his eyes again, sighing. "Oh, but of course you're not gonna believe me, so I'm not gonna pursue this argument any further and get on with my business, as usual..."

As he opened his locker and retrieved its contents, Bridgette mumbled nastily, "You'd better,_ loser_..."_  
_

Her comment didn't go unnoticed by Steven. With enraged force, he slammed his locker shut loudly, startling not only Marie, Jazz, and Bridgette, but all students within earshot. Steven then walked up to Bridgette, who was now feeling intimidated by the fact that she couldn't see his wide, furious eyes.

"You watch your damn mouth, _popular_," he said. Steven then slightly shuddered at stating the last word, but continued. "You're lucky I have no intention of committing violence in front of Marie, otherwise your fucking ugly face would've been caved in by now-"

Marie stepped between the two in Bridgette's defense, staring at Steven sternly.

"Steven, leave her alone," she said. "She didn't do anything!"

Steven blinked and sighed with frustration. "You're _hopeless_, Marie. If this were a goddamn story and there were people were reading it, they'd be in absolute awe at how clueless you are! I have no clue on how you get on with your fucking life-"

"I'm not clueless! ...I want you to leave."

Steven growled angrily, not believing what he was hearing.

"FINE!" He opened up his locker again and quickly retrieved the rest of its contents as everyone watched. "But I'm still not quitting on you, Marie! Like Thomas, I really think you deserve better than this shit! And I'm not gonna quit like he did!"

"What exactly is better than this?! I have lots of friends _and_ a boyfriend, and the entire school knows me! What could possibly be better than THIS?!"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Steven then softened his voice and looked away; Marie sensed something peculiar going on his mind. "I want you to at least get away from goddamn Adam. He'll bring you down to the lowest level. And I...I don't want you to be that way."

"Why in the world are you so concerned for me anyway, Steven?" asked Marie angrily, crossing her arms suspiciously. "The only reason you know me is because you're Tommy's friend, and you've only known me for almost a month, but you've already started tailing me as much as my mom. What's so important about me?"

Steven's face reverted back to its enraged expression again as he stared at the redhead. "None of your damn business. I'll just be going now."

He stalked down the opposite direction, students parting way for him like Moses parting the Red Sea. Marie, Jazz, and Bridgette watched him go as the scene in the hallway returned to its original, peaceful state.

"Ignore him, girl," Bridgette said as Marie continued looking after Steven. "He's nothing but trouble."

Marie's lips pursed, and she nodded in agreement as she opened her locker. Just as she retrieved its contents, she heard Adam's voice.

"I just saw Steven leave. He looked really pissed. Uh...did something happen?"

Marie closed her locker and looked into her boyfriend's eyes. "Nothing happened," she replied softly. "He just tried talking to me. Again."

"Oh." Adam then wrapped a loving arm around Marie. "There'll probably be more of that. Just ignore him. Now, onto a lighter subject, let's say we-"

However, he didn't get to finish his sentence, for Marie's attention was caught by a paper that was posted on a wall. It was of showing a cartoon of a woman issuing a set of musical notes. Approaching it, the girl read the message printed underneath this cartoon.

**DO YOU WANNA UNLEASH YOUR VOICE TO THE WORLD?  
THEN GO TO THE DANVILLE HIGH CHOIR TRYOUTS!  
FROM OCTOBER 8 TO OCTOBER 9 IN THE AUDITORIUM!  
WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!**

Her interest piqued, Marie smiled brightly, just as she felt someone step beside her. It was Bridgette.

"Choir tryouts, huh?" she asked. "Sounds really interesting." Bridgette looked at Marie. "You plan on going, Marie?"

"I'm...not sure..." replied Marie. "It sounds interesting, though, like you say..."

"Well, I'm so going. I've got a master singing voice that people would DIE to get." The blonde teenage girl puffed out her chest slightly in pride. "You should probably go, Marie. I'd like to hear what kind of voice you've got. Are you a singer at heart?"

Marie blushed slightly and shrugged. "I don't know. I used to sing a lot when I was a child, but from what I remember, my singing voice has been very high-pitched and squeaky, and it'd always annoy my dad's pet platypus. I'm not sure if my voice has developed in the past five years-"

"Try it out, then!" Jazz exclaimed encouragingly. "It can't hurt to find out!"

"Alright," replied Marie. "I guess..."

Feeling neglected as the three girls continued to talk about the tryouts, Adam just stalked away, his teeth gritted in anger and frustration. He had been hoping to lure Marie to a secluded location of the school where he'd seduce her into having sex with him, but obviously, that plan was now deemed unsuccessful. Since his first date with his girlfriend, the athlete had been making numerous unsuccessful attempts at sexual gratification, but those plans were either complicated due to Thomas and/or Steven's presences or Marie becoming distracted by something.

However, Adam wasn't discouraged yet.

_"Soon,"_ he thought, _"_very_ soon, Marie will be MINE. I've just gotta time my moves more efficiently..."_

* * *

Lunchtime had just begun for Danville High, and it was the usual busy scene of socialization and chatter among the students in the school cafeteria. At their table, Fred had just stood up and was addressing Xavier, who was currently texting on his cell phone.

"Hey, bro, I'm gonna have to go to my locker and get something," he piped. "Wanna come with me?"

However, Xavier didn't reply. In fact, he didn't seem to be listening to his brother; instead, he was more focused on the text communication he was currently having, as evidenced by his smile as he viewed a new message. As Xavier started typing again, Fred smiled, realizing who his brother was talking to.

"Dezz again?" he asked.

Destiny "Dezz" Horowitz was a childhood friend of Xavier and Fred's, who had moved to Seattle four years ago. She was a very peculiar girl, with an odd-looking rabbit named Akari as a pet, and an 'imaginary friend' named Danny, whom she described as a ghost that only she can see. The announcement of her moving affected Xavier especially, and since then, they had been talking or texting constantly on the phone.

"Huh?" Finally, Xavier had heard his brother. "Oh, yeah, it's her. She's just telling me a really funny story about Danny."

"She's still got that imaginary friend of hers?" Fred sighed and shrugged. "Well, have fun talking with Dezz. I'm gonna go to my locker."

Fred promptly walked across the cafeteria, and as he did, he took a random glance at the Gang, all of whom were sitting at their lonely, rundown table in the corner of the cafeteria. Shaking his head disapprovingly upon witnessing Thomas put Z in a headlock during a mock-wrestle for a fork, he continued his trek. Ever since Thomas had become a member of the Gang, he had become increasingly distant from the rest of his family, especially during the traditional weekly family reunions. It made him wonder whether his Uncle Ferb and Aunt Vanessa were doing anything to remedy the situation or not.

Entering a hallway and walking down, Fred then noticed Adam talking to his cronies. Though he didn't approve of Thomas having to join the Gang just to 'expose' Adam and his friends, he would admit that he partially _agreed_ to his step-cousin's views of the athletes. He didn't have any bad spots for them; after all, he and Xavier were a part of the soccer team. However, the brown-haired boy couldn't help but feel that there something emotionally _off_ with the basketball team, and even their assistant couch, Mr. Blake, who was his Health teacher. It seemed to be their attitude towards all of the school, as if they OWNED it or something, not the teachers.

"-I was gonna bang that chick!" Adam was saying. "But she HAD to be distracted by a damn poster passed out by the damn CHOIR!"

"Be patient, man," replied Brad. "Your time to claim full ownership to Marie WILL come."

Fred stopped in his tracks and innocently leaned against the lockers, overhearing the conversation between the athletes.

"Well, it would've come already if it weren't for my fucking damn brother and his friend Thomas being up in my ass all the time! Mike, Sam, I thought I told you guys to take care of the problem already! And what results have I seen? Nothing but ZILCH, man!"

"Adam, CHILL!" exclaimed the athlete named Sam. "We'll take care of 'em soon, just give us time!"

Adam suddenly punched Sam, sending him to the ground. Fred had to stifle a gasp.

"Time? Time?! _Time_?!" roared Adam. It was good for him that the hallway was empty, save for him, his friends, and Fred. "Sam, Marie's gonna catch on soon; goddamn Steven and Thomas will eventually convince her! The only way I can seal the deal is by banging her! So, if she tries to break up with me, I'll blackmail her into staying with me. No longer is time of essence, but EFFICIENCY! So do as your fucking instructed and get things fucking DONE!"

"Y-Y-Yes, man..." Sam moaned as he clutched his bruised cheek, while Mike cowered in fear.

Having heard enough, Fred prepared to walk away when...

"Uh, Adam, I think we've been having a little _eavesdropper_..." Brad piped.

Fred gulped fearfully and, seconds later, he found himself slammed violently against the lockers. He looked into Adam's malicious eyes.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Fred Johnson!" he snarled. "Spying on us, eh? Did Thomas send you?"

"N-N-No..." replied Fred. "I was just heading over to my locker-"

"Don't spit lies at us, man," Brad interrupted. "I saw you listening to us before turning around and leaving!"

Fred didn't having anything to say about it. He just began to tremble fearfully; it was common knowledge around the high school that the basketball players had a lot of potential to be on the wrestling team as well...

"Now," Adam said, abruptly wrapping his fingers tightly around Fred's neck in a choke-grip, "you will keep your goddamn mouth shut and never mention any of this to ANYONE. Especially Marie. Otherwise, I'll send good ol' Mike to you..." Mike promptly cracked his knuckles threateningly; Fred's skin turned pale at this. "And believe me, you don't wanna cross Mike when he's in a punching mood-"

"Uh-oh!" Sam exclaimed abruptly. "Code red!"

"Code red?" asked Mike.

"You forgot to memorize the CODES?!"

"You know I tend to forget things easily!"

"Code red means someone's coming! In this case, damn Jazz!"

"Shut up and act natural!" snapped Adam tersely, just as he released Fred and the athletes whistled innocently. Fred watched as Jazz entered the scene, holding her textbooks in her arms and putting away her iPod into her pocket. She then spotted the group.

"Am I interrupting anything?..." she asked curiously.

"No, no," Adam replied smoothly as he released Fred. "We were just having a little chat with Freddie about Marie. I never knew she was a summer girl." He then cast to Fred an innocent glare that only meant, to the Johnson, a warning signal. "See ya soon, man. Thanks for enlightening me... Come, boys."

The athletes all walked away, just as Fred let out a relieved sigh. Jazz walked up to him, an inquisitive look on her face.

"Summer girl?" she repeated. "I thought Marie's favorite season was autumn?"

"It is," Fred replied, watching as Adam and his lackeys went out of sight. "Jazz...Tom was right about Adam. He's a psychopath."

Jazz sighed angrily. "You _too_? Did Tom put you up to this?"

"No! But I overheard him talking to his friends! He had been trying to have sex with Marie!"

"Nonsense! He said he'd drop the tradition for her sake!"

Fred shook his head frantically. "Well, he's obviously lying to you! He said that he'd have sex with her so then if she breaks up with him, he'll blackmail her into staying with him! I don't know how, but that's EXACTLY what he said!"

"Now why would Adam do _that_?" Jazz asked.

"'Cause he's a- Never mind, it's obvious you won't listen to me." Fred then put on a determined expression. "But I know who will!"

"Fred, I-" began Jazz, but Fred had already run off down the hallway. She let out a sigh of frustration. "Great. Now it's Fred who's thinking up accusations for Adam! I wonder who's next?" Reluctantly, she decided to go off after Fred.

* * *

It wasn't difficult for Fred to find the Gang's lunch table in the cafeteria. Running up to it, he saw that Steven and Raoul were occupying it; everyone else was strangely absent. For some odd reason, his eyes traveled towards Raoul's direction; the trench-coat-wearing boy stared back nastily.

"What do ya want?" he snapped.

Shaking his head, Fred looked at Steven. "Hey, you're Tom's friend, right?" he asked.

"What does it look like?" replied Steven angrily. "You saw me with him on the first day of school."

"I know, that was a stupid question. Uh, do you know where Tom ran off to?"

"The others took him off somewhere," Raoul said. "I was told to stay here and watch Steven."

"Speaking of which, how come I couldn't go with them?" Steven was looking at Raoul. "It seems like Evan didn't want me to come."

"I'm not at liberty to tell you the answer, man," replied Raoul.

"D'you know where they took Tom?" asked Fred.

"I'm not telling you. Evan told me not to tell ANYONE about where they were go, especially not Steven."

Steven was taken aback by the comment, but he shook it off and looked at Fred. At that glance, he noticed finger-shaped bruising on Fred's neck. His eyes softened.

"Adam got to you, didn't he?" he asked.

Fred looked at Steven, who looked back with eyes of understanding. He then inspected the cafeteria, searching for any athletes that were around. When he cleared the scene, he nodded at him. Steven sighed angrily, while Raoul buried his face in his palms in disbelief.

"What happened?"

"I overheard him saying that he was gonna try and have sex with Marie," Fred replied quietly. "He said that if Marie broke up with him at any time afterward, he would just blackmail her so then he can get her to stay with him. And then...he found me eavesdropping and threatened me..."

Steven gritted his teeth in fury. "That. Damn. BASTARD."

"Again with accusing Adam?!" a new voice demanded. Jazz had just caught up with Fred. "Honestly, Fred, I'd understand if Tom and Steven were against him, but...but _you_? Of all people? Honestly, Fred, I never knew you as the accusative type-"

"You should've SEEN him, Jazz!" interrupted Fred with frustration as he clutched his hair fanatically. "There was _evil_ in his eyes, and he seemed to speak of Marie as a _possession_, not as his girlfriend. He was gonna- **AGH**!"

Fred suddenly clutched his head, a sudden and painful headache hitting him with the force of a sledgehammer. Strange images began to flash through his head, ones that involved Marie having sex with Adam...against her own will... His eyes opened, the headache disappearing as abruptly as it came.

"We have to break Marie and Adam up now," he said.

"What, really?" asked Jazz, sighing with disappointment. "Honestly, Fred, I don't-"

"JAZZ!" interrupted Fred. "You've always wanted Thomarie to prevail, isn't that right?"

"Well, I _used_ to, but ever since Tom joined that Gang, my hopes have been dashed. Now it's Adamarie now."

Fred, Steven, and Raoul all blinked and raised their eyebrows.

"Adamarie?" Fred asked. "_Really_?"

"Yeah, that's right, I made up a name for 'em! And FYI, I think it's catchier than Thomarie!"

"Well, protest all you want, Jazz, but I'm gonna break Marie and Adam up, for Marie's sake. And then I'll hook her up with Tom, 'cause we all know Thomarie is gonna prevail sooner or later. Trust me, Jazz, you'll thank me later."

"Count me in," Steven piped. "I can't bear to see Marie sucking up to that psychopathic bastard anymore."

Raoul sighed and shrugged. "Well, since I am supposed to watch you, Steven, then I guess I have to be in on the plan too. So, what's the plan..._man_?"

Fred looked at Raoul again. For some reason, there was something about him that was..._intriguing_. However, he ignored it and began explaining.

"I think this is a bad idea," Jazz said, but her statement fell upon deaf ears. Despite this, she remained.

* * *

_**After several minutes worth of Fred laying out the plan...**_

"So..._what's_ the plan again?" asked Raoul, crossing his arms nonchalantly, having evidently been not listening to Fred.

"You and Steven will get Adam's attention and goad him into confessing," replied Fred, glancing at Raoul with utmost annoyance as he pointed at the popular table in which Adam occupied, currently alone. "Me and Jazz will bring Marie over here and secretly have her listen in on the conversation."

"I still think this is a bad idea," Jazz said suddenly.

"If you think this is a bad idea, then why are you still here, Jazz? Seems to me that you wanna participate in this as much as Steven and Raoul wanna."

Jazz blushed with embarrassment and some other emotion. "Okay, okay, I think that there's still a chance Thomarie will succeed." She then shook her head and glared at Fred angrily. "But I swear, I doubt you're gonna get _anything_ out of Adam, 'cause he didn't do ANYTHING!"

"Oh, we will see about that," Steven said cleverly, staring at Adam with determination. "All I've gotta do to get his attention is to challenge his authority. A second later and he'll start ranting faster than an old grandfather who claims he is a villainous scientist out to conquer the Tri-State Area only to get thwarted on a daily basis by a platypus and a chameleon!" He then stopped and blinked, puzzled by what he had just said.

Raoul scoffed at Steven's announcement. "Jeez, how many times has Adam got you to come with him during his dates with Marie, man?"

"More than you _think_..." snarled Steven quietly.

"Okay, guys, let's do this!" exclaimed Fred, and he and Jazz walked off in one direction, and Steven and Raoul in the other.

* * *

Adam grumbled angrily to himself as he ate his lunch. Things weren't going his way right now. First of all, he had tried to bully a couple of freshmen into giving him their lunch money, but they defiantly refused, despite the amount of muscle he backed up. Second of all, most of his cronies all had to attend detention during lunch period, thus leaving him virtually weaponless. Third of all...his latest attempt to have sex with Marie failed, all because of a stupid choir poster. He had tried again to lure her to a secluded area again, but she wouldn't stop talking about the poster. Now, Marie was off somewhere in the school in search of the school auditorium where the choir tryouts, or whatever they were, were being held.

"Well, well, well," a familiar voice said, "if it isn't the high and mighty psychopathic bastard!"

Adam smirked maliciously. At least he had his favorite punching bag to attend to. He stood from his table and faced Steven, but all thoughts of attacking him staved off upon seeing Raoul, who was standing beside his brother, his arms crossed and an ugly frown on his face.

"Oh, you're lucky you've got your damn friend here with you," whispered Adam menacingly, his face inches from Steven's. "Otherwise you would have been beaten to a bloody pulp by now. Or at least get doused by some drinking water." He snickered jeeringly as Steven's skin paled, and his lips pursed.

"Laugh all ya want, Adam," Steven snapped. "But things will be in my favor for once."

"Oh, really? How, exactly?"

It was Steven's turn to smirk. "Oh, you'll see..._bastard_. Say, I remember seeing you trying to pick on some freshmen. Tell me, how does it feel to meet resistance in the form of some _freshies_? Quite the emasculation, isn't it? So much for the star player of the school..."

Adam's eyes widened, and his nostrils flared. Steven's smirk widened; he knew he got his brother's attention.

* * *

"What is it you wanna show me, guys?" Marie asked curiously as Fred and Jazz escorted her down a hallway and towards the cafeteria.

"Oh, you'll see..." Fred replied, winking at her.

"Tell me it'd better be good, guys. I was in the middle of talking to the choir teacher about the tryouts-"

"Trust me, Marie, it's gonna be good. It's gonna be _life-changing_!"

"Okay. If you insist..."

The trio soon entered the cafeteria, where they were greeted by a rather peculiar sight: a large crowd of students had now gathered around the popular table to look on as Steven and Adam were staring each other down, the possibility of a brutal fistfight looming higher and higher by the minute. Raoul was standing behind Steven, looking rather nonchalant towards the developing situation. Naturally, the cafeteria workers weren't present, having gone into the kitchen to attend to a minor fire.

Marie gasped in concern for both Steven and Adam, and she prepared to run towards the crowd, but Fred held her back.

"Relax, Marie!" he whispered. "Just watch!"

"What do you mean 'watch', Fred?" demanded Marie. "Someone's gonna get hurt!"

"Just watch, and don't speak up!"

Steven's voice broke the air suddenly. "MARIE DOESN'T DESERVE YOU, YOU BASTARD!"

"DON'T CALL ME A BASTARD, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" shouted Adam furiously. "ANYWAY, WHY THE HELL SHOULD YOU BE SO CONCERNED FOR HER, ANYWAY? YOU KNOW FULLY WELL THAT SHE'LL BRING BACK **REALLY** BAD MEMORIES TO YOU!"

"I KNOW, BUT I CAN'T JUST STAND IN THE SIDELINES AS YOU TARNISH HER INNOCENCE! I WON'T LET YOU! SHE'S TOO GOOD FOR THAT! YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DESTROYING HERE, ADAM?! YOU'RE DESTROYING A CARING, GENTLE, COMPASSIONATE, LOVING, **WONDERFUL** SOUL!"

Steven's voice had become rather strained and desperate as he spoke the latest sentences, as if he were struggling to hold back tears as he spoke, a scene that was not entirely improbable to occur. Adam's eyes widened as an unknown realization hit him. He then let out a hysterical laugh.

"Oh. My. GOD!" he exclaimed. "I think I know what's REALLY going on! You LIKE Marie, don't you?!"

Steven's skin paled as students began whispering to each other in shock. Marie herself was taken aback by Adam's accusation. Even Raoul expressed some surprise.

"What?!" cried Steven. "No! NO! I'm not in love with Marie-"

"Oh, you should hear yourself talking, bro! You definitely like her! It should explain why you're so fallaciously concerned for her as much as that Thomas is!"

"I DON'T LIKE MARIE!"

"Ooh, Steven likes Marie!" exclaimed a student. "Stevie likes Marie, Stevie likes Marie, Stevie likes Marie!"

"STEVIE LIKES MARIE, STEVIE LIKES MARIE, STEVIE LIKES MARIE!" chanted the rest of the students, save for Marie, Fred, Jazz, Adam, and Raoul.

"SHUT UP!" roared Steven as tears began to run down his cheeks, but the students only continued to sing more. "SHUT UP, SHUT UP, **SHUT UP**!" He collapsed to the cafeteria floor, shielding his head with his hands as he started to cry. "_Shut up_..."

"**HEY, SHUT UP, BASTARDS!**" Raoul screeched, finally silencing the students. "Look at what you did to Steven! ...You're all _disgusting_..."

Raoul then bent down and gently helped Steven to his feet; Adam, keeping up appearances, tried to help, but Raoul shot him a threatening look that prompted him to back off. As he aided Steven, he spotted Marie, Fred, and Jazz; Raoul shook his head at them as he led Steven away.

Recognizing the gesture, Fred sighed in frustration and defeat. The plan had failed. Adam hadn't confessed to doing anything wrong in front of Marie, or even Jazz. As a result, Steven had snapped from the teasing and was in an emotional breakdown. And it was all because of him... Fred began to feel pity for Steven, whom he had previously regarded as a bad influence on Thomas.

Just then, Adam turned to Marie and smiled at her innocently. Fred stepped away from her, recognizing that Adam seemed to know _exactly_ where Marie was...

And then, he looked directly at Fred. Smiling innocently, Fred then ran off.

* * *

"It's good to see that you're willing to take up the duty for us," Evan said as he and the rest of the Gang escorted Thomas back to the cafeteria.

"My pleasure, man," Thomas replied. "Anything for the cause of exposing that bastard Adam. ...By the way, why can't Steven take up the duty too? He's a freshman as well, and he too wants to take Adam down, quite desperately."

"I know, but...I have a bad feeling about him. He seems to be in the Gang just because _you're_ in the Gang. He doesn't seem to be into our activities that much..."

"I think he's a cool guy," piped Z. "I don't find any reason to exclude him from-"

"What I say goes, man," interrupted Evan. "And I say that Steven's not eligible for the duty we have bestowed upon Thomas here."

"If you insist..."

The Gang walked up to the hillside leading towards the cafeteria. There, to their shock, they found Raoul sitting beside a weeping Steven.

"What the hell _happened_, man?!" Thomas cried as he ran up to Steven's side.

"Fucking Adam got to him," replied Raoul bitterly. "This time, the students were teasing him because he liked Marie or something..."

Thomas's eyes widened. "What, really?" He looked at Steven, who had stopped crying. "Steven, is that true?" When Steven quietly nodded, he continued. "Why in the world would people be saying that?" Thomas hesitated fearfully. "You...You weren't doing _anything_ to Marie, were you?"

"No..." whispered Steven, shaking his head emphatically. "I know how much you love her, Thomas. I know that she's off-limits. I was just defending her innocence from Adam and...things just turned around from there..." His lip quivered severely as he finished his sentence.

Thomas growled angrily, stood up, and watched through the cafeteria window as Adam took Marie's hand and escorted her to the popular table. He clenched his fists and prepared to storm into the cafeteria, but a hand placed itself around his shoulder. He turned around, expecting it to be one of the Gang members. But it wasn't.

It was Fred.

"What the hell are you doing HERE?" Byron demanded in a warning tone, stalking towards Fred.

"Whoa, whoa, WHOA!" exclaimed Fred, holding his hands up in surprise. "I'm of no harm, no harm at all! I'm on your side!" He glanced at Thomas. "Tom, you were _right_ about Adam. I overheard him saying that he was planning on having sex with Marie. You were right, Tom, you were right about him." Fred then looked back fearfully at Byron, who was still walking up to him, cracking his knuckles. "Can you just- just call your friend off!"

Noticing the sincerity in his step-cousin's tone, Thomas waved a hand at Byron. "It's okay, man, he's cool," he said.

Byron looked at Thomas inquisitively, then reluctantly nodded and took a few steps back. Thomas then looked at Fred, who approached him.

"I just thought you should know that, man," Fred said. "And I wanted you to know that...I'm sorry for not really believing you. Now, I'm gonna do everything that I can to help you guys in exposing Adam's true personality to Marie. I now know that she doesn't deserve to hang around with that psycho. However, I've also realized that exposing him will be harder than we'd think. So, if you got any good ideas...count me in."

And with that, Fred walked back into the cafeteria without another word. Thomas and the rest of the Gang watched him go.

* * *

**Next Episode Summary:** Details about Thomas's 'duty' for the Gang are revealed, as is the Gang's so-called 'Operation: Red Thunder'. Meanwhile, Ferb and Vanessa, fully aware of their son's affiliation with the Gang, make a decision that could redefine their relationship with Thomas.

* * *

**A/N:** On the downside, Adam still gets away with being a psychopathic bastard. On the upside, Fred is now aware of Adam's true personality and is willing to help out the Gang in any way possible. And all's unofficially well for now, until the next chapter!

And yes, I'm bringing in another OC, Destiny "Dezz" Horowitz, the daughter of the Ballpit Kid (whose name is revealed to be Balthazar Horowitz, explaining her sudden new surname) and Sally, both characters from the show. woodland5 asked if she's gonna appear, and I didn't know who she was, so I looked her up. I fell in love with the OC instantly, and since she has developed into a supporting character for the Marie-and-Thomas canon in DeviantArt, much like Bridgette, I decided to include her as well, with modifications so she could fit into the story properly. She will appear physically soon and become a main character. So, thank you very much, woodland5, for the inspiration!

I'd like to thank those who reviewed:

**iheartphinabella05:** XD

**woodland5 (guest reviewer):** I'm glad you like how I'm making the Gang deviate from the serious, troublemaking personalities they were initially portrayed in! That was intentional, so then I can make the characters more lovable. And to make things better, the Floyd time and bad things happening to Max will be recurring jokes! :D

**thedoraemons7:** I don't know if I told you, but Angelus19, sam-ely-ember, and Melty19 created the OCs.

**random guy (guest reviewer):** Well, when you couple Marie's obliviousness to Adam's sheer mastery at lying, it creates a worst-case scenario. And that concludes my scientific explanation as to why Marie is still dating that bastard! XD

**damonika2009:** You're talking about Mandy, and no, she's not the mom. But I will eventually explain what happened to Steven's mom.

**Cute as a button22:** I'm glad you're loving this so far, despite Adam and Evan's presences. And you spelled 'adios' correctly. :D

**14AmyChan:** XD XD XD

**Deborahpflover:** Great to hear that!

**The All-Seer (guest reviewer):** Hopefully this chapter was enough for you to stomach!

**Axis22:** I will explain why Marie has yet to tell her parents about what Adam tried to do. And yes, you should have a reason to be worried about the stalker. You have not seen the last of him or her (yes, that's right, I'm making the gender currently ambiguous :D)...

**Monkey Lover 911 (guest reviewer):** Thanks.

Well, hope you enjoyed this chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!


	10. Some Aggressive Expansion

**IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS:**

-Marie Flynn DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Angelus19 and sam-ely-ember.  
-Thomas Fletcher DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Melty19.  
-Jasmine Rai DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to sam-ely-ember and Melty19.  
-Bridgette Clark DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Orthgirl123, Angelus19, and sam-ely-ember.  
-Destiny "Dezz" Horowitz DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Ciomy.  
-Daniel or "Danny" DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Ciomy.

* * *

**Episode 10: Some Aggressive Expansion**

* * *

_**October 1, 2035**_

"Hey, guys," greeted Thomas as he and Steven approached the rest of the Gang, who were standing on the hillside they usually met up at. It was the start of another nightmarish week at Danville High, and the two found themselves hanging out with the older boys quite frequently. Of course, it was something they didn't dislike.

"Hey, man," replied Z, patting Thomas on the back as they and the rest of the Gang stalked down the hill, students scurrying out of the way in fear. "Guys, after some complications with Raoul's itching powder-" Max rolled his eyes at the statement, but Z ignored him. "-it looks like we are gonna have to drop the cheerleading squad tryout prank. It was a doomed plan to begin with, anyway. But don't you worry, guys. This will give us some leeway in planning Operation: Red Thunder, and you and Steven are joining in, now that you two are honorary members of our brotherhood!"

Steven looked up from the ground for the first time. "Oh, that's right. What _is_ Operation: Red Thunder supposed to be anyway?"

"Yeah, that." Z turned to Evan. "Evan, you came up with the idea, why don't you enlighten Steven?"

"Huh?" Steven raised an eyebrow. "Wait a minute, you're saying that Thomas already _knows_ of it?"

"What do you think we were doing to him last Tuesday?"

Steven didn't respond, but he sighed. "Just tell me what Operation: Red Thunder is."

"Well, on November 16, there's gonna be this dance," explained Evan. "Mid-Autumn Dance, I believe it was supposed to be called. Thomas's parents and his uncle and aunt all went there. This is the first Mid-Autumn Dance in thirteen years, according to the principal. It's been a long-held school tradition. Well, before that day comes, we will pack in each and every nook and cranny a total crap-load of harmless explosives and dye packs and the like. We'll time everything to detonate on the dancers after the first song being used finishes.

"There'll be explosions on the stage of the dance hall, which'll spray the banner overhead with dye.

"Then, a smoke bomb that issues a powerful pepper spray will go off under the stage the singer is standing on, exposing the dancers to it.

"And finally, there'll be balloons that'll explode and literally carve the Gang's name in the air. It's gonna be an epic performance, Steven. No one will forget it. Our name will be etched in Danville High's history books!"

Steven nodded, feigning interest at the prospect of Operation: Red Thunder, but underneath his exterior, he was reluctant to participate in such a dastardly scheme of troublemaking. However, he thought better of it and didn't speak up. At this point, the Gang had just moved further down the grassy hill and stopped at the bottom, located near the main entrance, obviously where they usually hung out during free time.

"And, that's Operation: Red Thunder, summed up to elementary standards," Evan continued. "So, Steven, tell me...are you in...or are you out?"

"I'm in," Steven muttered almost incomprehensibly, but Evan took it as a statement of approval and smiled.

"That's what I'm talking about! I swear to you, man, after Operation: Red Thunder, you will be glad to come to school tomorrow!"

Just then, Steven looked down at the hill and sighed sadly, something that Evan registered.

"What? Got a problem, man?"

"It's just..." Steven began silently. "..._nothing_."

"Nothing?" repeated Max. "Doesn't sound like nothing to me."

"I'm fine, alright?"

Max held up his hands. "Okay, okay, just being a concerned peer, that's all!"

The Gang had, at this point, decided to walk through the main entrance of the school. As usual, students in the hallway fearfully made way for the Gang.

"Anyway," Steven continued, "why exactly did you tell Thomas of what Operation: Red Thunder was before you told _me_? What is it about me that makes you think that I deserve to know the information late on hand? You think I'm not trustworthy enough?"

"We didn't think you deserved to know the info after Thomas did," Z replied. "And we DEFINITELY don't think you're trustworthy. It's just that we had also bestowed a little _duty_ onto Thomas, a duty that he graciously accepted. It was a duty we thought wasn't suitable for you."

"A duty?"

"It's obvious that we nine can't prepare Operation: Red Thunder alone," Evan explained. "I have selected Thomas as our recruiter."

"Recruiter?"

"Yes. The Gang is in need of some more members. And since we're already in the second month of the school year, freshies are still looking for their rightful place in the school, and therefore, they can be easily influenced, especially the losers and loners. Thomas can take advantage of that gullibility to persuade them to join the Gang, and after all, he's a freshy himself. Other freshies will take him as a role model. And, if we're lucky, seniors, juniors, and sophomores might become impressed with the increasing membership of the Gang and decide to join themselves! Once we have about two dozen members or so, we can start preparations."

Steven crossed his arms suspiciously. "Is that really gonna work?"

"Oh, it will," Thomas piped suddenly and determinedly. "I've been practicing a recruiting strategy I concocted for the past week."

"Give me your lunch money, Doofus Dooky," a deep, menacing voice snapped.

"Leave me alone, Hank!" a younger, more timid voice replied meekly.

The Gang turned to see a stout, unpleasant-looking boy shoving a smaller, wiry boy wearing glasses against the lockers. Thomas narrowed his eyes menacingly, and he walked up to the two freshmen as the bully continued harassing the smaller boy.

"Give me your money, Dooky, or I'll-" began the bully, but...

"Hey, you!" Thomas interrupted, catching the bully's attention. "You get away from him, or you'll be talking to me damn fist!"

To emphasize his threat, he raised his fist and waved it at the bully's face menacingly; he took the warning and ran away in an instant. Thomas scoffed in triumph and prepared to walk away when the other boy's voice called out to him, beseeching him.

"Wait!"

Thomas turned around, an eyebrow raised. "Yes?" he asked.

"T-_Thanks_... Thanks for the help..."

Thomas smiled, walked up to the boy, and patted him gently on the back. Steven couldn't help but admire how his friend was handling progression of the scene.

"You're welcome, man," Thomas replied. "What's your name?"

"Jake. Jake Dookerton. ...Which explains why Hank calls me Doofus Dooky..."

Thomas sighed in anger. "Jake, don't let Hank get to you. You are STRONG, you can defy him easily. Don't prove him right by not fighting back."

"But I'm afraid to fight back. He's bigger than me; he can beat me to a pulp-"

"You. Are. STRONG," interjected Thomas sternly, looking into Jake's eyes seriously. "Listen to me, Jake, I was like you. I was unpopular and had the bullies on my back twenty-four-seven. But then, I found them. The Duster Rebel Gang. They taught me on how to be tough and resilient against bullies, and how to unleash my anger at the overall prospect of my life. I am no longer afraid of ANYTHING."

Jake's eyes widened in interest. "Really?" he asked. He sounded like an impressionable, eager elementary-school student.

"Yes, really." Thomas smiled. "Hey, maybe you should join. The Gang can do wonders for your self-confidence."

Until that point, Steven had been very impressed at how Thomas was talking to Jake. But now that he found out this was a means of recruiting, he frowned with pure disapproval and cast a glance at Evan, who was staring at Thomas proudly.

* * *

By lunchtime, Thomas had convinced eleven freshmen to join the Gang; six of them were actually good friends of Jake, who was solely responsible for convincing _them_ to join the Gang so they can escape the bullies. A total of twenty Gang members were now sitting on or beside the Gang's trademark rundown table; it was a quantity that surprised and shocked numerous other students present in the school cafeteria.

Naturally, Marie and Jazz were among those who noticed the increase in Gang members.

"So there's MORE of them now?" Jazz asked. "Oh dear God..."

"During this past year, I've never known the Gang to be skilled at getting new members," Rosa said as she sat beside Bridgette and Sasha. "Last year, there was only one member who joined up with them, and he joined them halfway into the year..."

Marie looked at Rosa inquisitively. She couldn't help but notice a somber tone in her voice. The redhead then followed her gaze and saw that she was looking at Z as he patted a new member's back in a friendly manner. Marie raised her eyebrow curiously, but before she could ask her friend a question, Adam and his friends entered the fray, all carrying lunch-trays with them. They sat down on the table, Adam next to Marie, as usual.

"How're you doing, babe?" Adam asked as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "How's the, uh, choir tryouts going for you?"

"I'm definitely thinking about taking part in them," replied Marie, smiling sweetly at her boyfriend. "I've even started practicing my singing voice last week. I can't wait!"

"Yeah, yeah." Adam's voice sounded quick and nonchalant as he said the last two words. He then continued, more seriously, "Say, uh, Marie, can we have a moment _alone_? I'd like to tell you something I've wanted to tell you for a long time..."

"Can it wait?" Marie's mind had returned to the subject of the Gang and Thomas. "I have to take care of something..."

"Count me in," added Jazz.

She stood up and left the table, followed by Jazz. No one but Adam's lackeys notice the flash of anger and disappointment appear on his face for a few seconds.

* * *

"We have to go through a set of trials in order to enter the Gang?" asked Jake, a bit worriedly.

"Yep," Thomas replied. "Don't worry, though, they're easy. They might test your morality, but all you gotta do is go along, and things will turn in your favor."

"When are those three trials gonna occur?" another freshman asked.

"Later today," replied Evan. "You'd better call your parents and lie to them on why you're gonna be late, 'cause the Trials are gonna take awhile..."

"Okay, if you insist..." Jake said reluctantly.

"Hi, Tommy!" a voice greeted.

"Oh, _no_..." moaned Thomas.

Thomas found himself being helped up to his feet by Marie, who smiled at him, though he noticed the concern on her face. Standing behind her was Jazz, also wearing a similar concerned expression. The corners of his eyes caught Jake and the other freshmen looking at him and Marie inquisitively, puzzled by the new turn of events.

"Can we talk?" Marie asked.

"Nope. I am currently in the middle of something, Marie."

"Well then, can you tell me how you got your new friends?"

"None of your damn business, Marie, go away."

Marie frowned disapprovingly and half-dragged Thomas away from the table with Jazz close behind. Several Gang members stood up, preparing to help their colleague, but Thomas signaled them that it was okay, prompting them to sit back down in their seats. Within a few seconds, Marie had dragged him out of the cafeteria and into a hallway. There, Thomas found Xavier and Fred already there; the former seemed to be preoccupied with his cell phone, evidently talking with his old friend Dezz.

"Tommy, we HAVE to talk," said Marie as she released Thomas.

"About what?" asked Thomas nonchalantly.

"I asked Xavier and Fred, and Fred told me about what he heard. You're actually _recruiting_ people to join that horrible Gang?"

Thomas shot Fred a dirty look, but he didn't flinch.

"Tom, I may now be okay with you being in the Gang," Fred said, ignoring the shocked look Marie gave him, "but after what Ste- I mean, my anonymous source told me about your current deeds with them, I must say that I disapprove of that part, man. You are allowing their principles to sink into you to the effect that you treat it like some sort of army? That I-I just CANNOT get over."

"Too bad, guys," snapped Thomas, looking at Marie, Jazz, Fred, and Xavier. "I am proud of where I am. Stop helping me."

"Well, _you_ seem to be helping me with the apparent problem with my new friends," Marie said. "What about that, Tommy?"

"It's a different story, Marie."

"Would you like it if I told YOU that?"

Thomas scoffed and looked into Marie's eyes. "Trust me, Marie, when all of this is over, you'll _thank_ me. Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta eat with my REAL friends."

He walked away without another word as the others watched him go.

"Guys," Xavier said, "I think it's time we just let go of Tom. Let the consequences affect him. He'll learn through a comeuppance."

"I can't let that happen, Xavier," replied Marie, facing him. "I will continue to help him, _no matter what_." She then sighed as she watched Thomas reenter the cafeteria. Feeling the need to change the subject, she asked, "So, Xavier, how's Dezz doing?"

"Well, she and Danny had to walk the long way home because their usual route was under reconstruction," Xavier replied. He then laughed. "She tells the funniest of stories sometimes. ...But for some reason, I can't help but have this feeling that she's keeping something from me..."

* * *

_**October 2, 2035**_

It was early in the morning, and Thomas had woken up a few minutes ago and began punching the punching bag Raoul loaned to him. It had become a habit for him to begin punching the bag every time morning dawned. His morning exercise, he calls it.

Just yesterday, Jake and the ten other freshmen had passed through all three of the Trials of DMA. All eleven were rather reluctant and hurt by the fact that they doing things they were taught not to do. However, they were all encouraged to continue by both Thomas and the fact that the bullies would continue to pester them if they retained their state of 'weakness', as Evan had coined.

Thomas heard the door to his bedroom creak open, but he continued punching, knowing that his actions would be ignored for one reason or another. Just as expected, Ferb appeared, his arms crossed, but he merely watched silently as the teenage boy continued punching the punching bag.

For some reason, Ferb and Vanessa were increasingly aware of Thomas's activities with the Gang, but they didn't do anything about it. For example, they bore witness to Raoul helping Thomas bringing in the punching bag, but didn't ask them about what it was supposed to be for. And, hours before Thomas went off to play 'Bullets of Glory VII' with the Gang, the Fletcher family watched the morning news. One report focused on Thomas's tagging of the Valentine Heights cafe, and a police official had released a witness's description of Thomas, but Ferb nor Vanessa seemed to garner any suspicion. It made Thomas wonder if they were aware of his involvement with the Gang and actually _approved_ of it...

Finally, Ferb said, "Son, I need to talk to you."

Thomas stopped, anticipating the worst. He was bound to get caught, sooner or later.

"Yes, Dad?" he asked innocently. "What is it?"

"Let's sit on the bed, shall we?"

Thomas sighed, but he did as he was told and sat down on his bed; Ferb sat beside him. For a minute, it was awkwardly silent.

"Son...it has come to our attention recently, your mom and I, that you have been spending some time with this so-called 'Duster Rebel Gang'," Ferb said.

"That's correct," replied Thomas honestly, looking down at the ground.

"And we know it was you who put graffiti all over that cafe in Valentine Heights."

Thomas looked at Ferb. "Yeah. About time you told me you knew. Why now, Dad?"

"To tell you the truth, son, we just _knew_ this kind of future was ahead of you. You were depressed and irritable as a young boy, slightly resistant to our love. We knew you would hang out with the wrong crowd when you became older-"

"They're not the wrong crowd, Dad," Thomas snapped. "They're my solution."

"A solution for what, Thomas?"

"The entire high school, Dad. I hate it. I hate it so much! It's not the high school you told me about! It's a living bedlam! I have absolutely no idea on why that school is still there, even after all the stuff I see there! Bullying, banging on-campus, mean-spirited teachers...and Marie becoming influenced by it..."

"This is not about Danville High, Thomas. I know what it's really about."

"Yeah? What's that?"

"Finding your place. See, that's why Mom and I never really spoke out against your involvement with your friends. I know you guys have been doing bad stuff, which is guaranteed to land you in jail, but just tell me, Thomas, how special do you feel right now?"

"I'd feel like the happiest person on Earth if Marie weren't dating that bastard!" shouted Thomas.

"Exactly, Thomas. As a child, you were lost and unsure of your future. The only thing you saw ahead of you was music. But music was all you wanted in your life. Music alone didn't get your life anywhere. I know this because I was like you, Thomas. Your mom too. The both of us didn't know what we'd do in life. For me, my life was all just about inventing with Uncle Phineas, since it was a way to cope with the loss of my mother. For Mom, her life was just about getting away from Grandpa Doof and becoming a better parent than him, since she was displeased with his parenting methods.

"But when we got to high school, we found crowds we could hang out with, and they completed our self-definitions. I hung out with the popular crowd, and it was their help that got me into politics. As for Mom...she too hung out with a Duster Rebel Gang of her own." Ferb smiled at Thomas's widening eyes. "That's right, Mom was just like you. It was their influence that gave her her tough and no-nonsense personality."

Ferb placed a hand on Thomas's and held it tightly. "Son, you are free to do whatever you want. Let this Gang take you wherever you want to go, as long as you don't get hurt. Don't think this is about Danville High. Just find yourself."

Thomas looked at Ferb's hand, latched onto his tightly. He then frowned and pulled away successfully.

"Thanks for the philosophy, Dad, but this is ALL about Danville High. Marie's gonna become one of the populars and it's all my fault!" Thomas stood up and walked up to the punching bag. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I gotta keep punching."

As Thomas threw more punches, Ferb sighed sadly.

"If you insist, son..." he replied as he stood up from the bed and left the room.

However, Thomas ignored him and continued punching.

* * *

**Next Episode Summary:** An old friend of the group returns to Danville after five years, and this joyous occurrence triggers a series of changes that will affect them all. Meanwhile, Marie learns something about Z, and...who the heck's that guy in the background?

* * *

**A/N:** And here's the newest chapter from yours truly! I know, I know, this is quite early for a chapter. Actually, to tell you the truth, half of the material in this chapter was actually recycled from scrapped ideas from the past two chapters. As a result, my only duty was to fill in the blanks. :D

I'd like to thank those who reviewed:

**thedoraemons7**

**random guy (guest reviewer):** I don't even know what "Danny Phantom" is. The character's creator Ciomy should know.

**woodland5 (guest reviewer):** Fortunately for you, she'll appear in the next chapter, as seen in the 'Next Episode Summary' section! I'm gonna enjoy writing the next chapter very much! :D

**damonika2009:** It's gonna be an OC, I'll tell you that. And yes, Adam's true colors will be exposed before he takes Marie's virginity.

**Cute as a button22**

**Monkey Lover 911 (guest reviewer):** Oh, Dezz will appear in the next chapter! :D

**Guest reviewer:** Huh?

**14AmyChan:** XD

**Deborahpflover:** Dezz and Danny are OCs created by Ciomy. If you want more information, look her up on DeviantArt.

**humanusscriptor**

Well, hope you enjoyed the next chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!


	11. Return of an Old Friend

**A/N:** Hey, I just noticed...this story's already got over 100 reviews! I thank you all for sticking with this story thus far! Cyber cookies to y'all! *starts tossing them*

**IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS:**

-Marie Flynn DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Angelus19 and sam-ely-ember.  
-Thomas Fletcher DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Melty19.  
-Jasmine Rai DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to sam-ely-ember and Melty19.  
-Bridgette Clark DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Orthgirl123, Angelus19, and sam-ely-ember.  
-Destiny "Dezz" Horowitz DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Ciomy.  
-Daniel or "Danny" DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Ciomy.

* * *

**Episode 11: Return of an Old Friend**

* * *

_**October 5, 2035**_

Xavier was among the many students who flooded through the main entrance of Danville High, joyous for the start of another weekend off from school. Walking coolly towards the parking lot, where he expected his mother Candace to pick him and Fred up, the blond-haired boy suddenly felt his cell phone vibrate inaisw his pocket. He retrieved it, looked at its screen, and smiled at the familiar phone number.

"Hey, Dezz," he answered.

"Hi, Xavier," replied Dezz's voice. "Hey, guess where I am right now?"

"Um, somewhere in Seattle, where else?"

He could hear Dezz giggle girlishly. "You're very cold, Xavier. Guess again."

Xavier's eyes widened; he didn't expect Dezz to be calling him from some other location. Shrugging it off, he decided to play his friend's little game and guess again.

"Uh...Washington state."

"Still cold!"

Xavier sighed in mock-frustration as he stopped alongside the sidewalk. "Dezz, how in the world am I supposed to know where you're at right now?"

Dezz giggled again. "Okay, here's a hint, Xavier. I'm flying in a hovermobile with a person you know very much. And by very much, I mean _very_ much."

"You're with your mom?"

"Cold, silly! Think again!"

"Huh. Who else do I know very much?" thought Xavier. He then sighed and replied in defeat, "I give up, Dezz. Where are you at?"

"You're getting warmer...warmer...warmer..."

Taken aback by her clue, Xavier lowered his arm and looked around, inspecting the school parking lot. Dezz was implying that she was here in Danville. But it could not be possible. She had moved to Seattle five years ago and, judging by what her parents were saying, there was no chance the family would leave that place, even for a little summer vacation, since Mr. and Mrs. Horowitz were on a business trip scheduled to end in another five years at minimum.

"Hey, bro!" Fred called, having suddenly appeared at Xavier's side.

"Fred, Dezz called me," replied Xavier. "She's saying she's here!"

Fred scoffed. "Yeah, right. She and her family are only returning here here after another few years!" He grabbed Xavier's cell phone. "You gimme that. Hey, Dezz, stop fooling around with my bro, he's not the type of guy who likes surprises-"

He suddenly paused as Dezz spoke to him incomprehensibly. Xavier had a temptation to listen in on the conversation, but thought better of it. A couple of minutes had passed, and Fred lowered his cell phone and turned around to face his brother; there was a crafty smile on his face.

"What?" Xavier asked. "What's up with the smile?"

"Oh, you'll see..." replied Fred, still smiling as he handed back Xavier's cell phone. "She wants to talk to you again, bro."

Xavier put the cell phone back to his ear and heard Dezz giggling. The sound of it struck chords in his heart; he had always liked it whenever she laughed. But still, he was confused at what was going on, and even starting to get irritated at the matter.

"Dezz, what's going on?" he asked. "Where are you, anyway?"

"Look at Fred," Dezz simply replied.

Xavier looked at his brother, who had glanced off at a familiar hovermobile and was waving at it, a wide smile on his face. He followed Fred's gaze and realized that he was looking at their mother's hovermobile as it drove towards them. Sitting in the driver's seat was Candace, who was waving back happily as she drove over towards the two brothers. As she neared them, Xavier suddenly noticed that there were two other people sitting in the backseat. He identified one of them as his older sister Amanda, but he couldn't see the other one's face.

Soon, Candace drove up alongside the Johnson brothers. Xavier's jaw dropped open when he saw who the other person was. Naturally, it was Dezz.

Dezz smiled at him and opened the door, quickly stepping out of the hovermobile. Her smooth chocolate-brown hair, with its trademark light-pink streak, blew with the slight breeze; it had now flowed down to her shoulders, betraying the somewhat tomboyish look she had as a child but still giving her a bit of a new cute quality. She was wearing a light-pink dress whose color matched that of her hair-streak, a blue denim jacket, and see-through leggings. The teenage girl giggled at the sight of her flabbergasted childhood friend and stretched her arms out wide.

"It's great to see you again, Xavier," she said as she hugged him tightly; he continued to remain as still and rigid as a floorboard.

"Hey, don't leave me out here, Dezz!" Fred whined jokingly.

"Oh, I wouldn't forget about you, Fred!" replied Dezz as she hugged him as well. Candace and Amanda had gotten out of the car at this point.

"Well, I can see Xavier's taking this surprise quite well," Amanda said, giggling at the sight of her younger brother, who was blinking and looking rather stupid and dim-witted in his position. Dezz giggled as well and smiled, sweetly at him.

"Y-Y-You're _back_..." he said as he regained his senses. "B-But how? I thought you and your parents were supposed to be in Seattle for another five years?"

"Yeah, that's right," explained Dezz, "but now that Seattle's economic recession was hitting them hard, Worthington Enterprises had to impose budget cuts, and as a result, they had to send half the amount of workers staying there back to their respective hometowns. That included my parents. But we were okay with it. We really, _really_ missed Danville. Especially me. I missed all of you guys." She then looked around, as if she were expecting to see someone else. "Hey, speaking of which, where are Marie and Tommy? I can't wait to see 'em! You didn't mention them much, Xavier. Have they finally become a couple?"

"It's a long story..." Fred replied, shaking his head.

"Oh. That's quite a shame to hear. I thought they'd make it at this point." Dezz shrugged. "Anyway, that aside, I thought I would surprise you guys with my return by coming along with your mom when she picks you up!" She then glanced at Danville High School, her eyes widening in awe as she marveled at the building. "So, this is the famous Danville High School, huh? Is it really a good school, guys?"

"Better than you can imagine," Fred replied sarcastically, but Dezz didn't register the tone.

"Awesome! I'm gonna be transferring there! It's gonna be great, being in the same school as you guys once again!"

"Yeah..._great_..." replied Xavier, still flabbergasted, not only by Dezz's sudden return, but now because she seemed so..._beautiful_ after five years...

"OMG, IT'S **DEZZ**!" a voice screamed excitedly. Seconds later, Xavier could only see three girls hugging each other and squealing in delight.

"Oh, Marie, Jazz, it's SO great to see you again!" Dezz exclaimed.

"You have NO IDEA on how much we missed you, girl!" replied Jazz. "How come you're here?"

"My parents and I just moved back here yesterday."

"NO KIDDING!" squealed Marie. "Please tell me you're transferring to this school!"

"As a matter of fact, I AM!"

The air was filled with more squealing, to the point where Fred winced. Candace laughed and got into her car.

"Well, I can see this reunion's gonna take a while," she said. "I'm gonna go park the car, alright?"

No one replied, but she merely took it as approval, and the redheaded woman flew off further into the parking lot in search of an empty space, but not before Amanda got into the hovermobile. In the meantime, Marie gestured Dezz towards Adam, Bridgette, Sasha, Rosa, Brad, Mike, and Sam, all of whom Xavier didn't notice until now due to his continuous shock at Dezz's return.

"Dezz, I want you to meet me and Jazz's new friends here in the school," Marie said. "These are Bridgette, Sasha, Rosa, Brad, Mike, Sam, and Adam. Guys, this is my childhood friend Destiny Horowitz, but she prefers to be called Dezz."

"Hi, girl!" greeted Bridgette. "It's such a pleasure to meet you!"

"The pleasure is mine," Dezz replied modestly with a wide smile, a response that further shocked Xavier; the last time he had seen her, she had been a very unsocial person, save for her interactions with him, Fred, Marie, Thomas, and Jazz. Obviously, Seattle had improved her personality somewhat.

"Oh, you're gonna enjoy it here in Danville High, Dezz," Sasha said. "It's surely gotta be an improvement compared to whatever high school you went to previously..."

"I liked my last high school very much, but I'm pretty sure I will enjoy it here, thanks." She then looked around in search of someone. "So, I have reunited with Xavier, Fred, Marie, Jazz, and Amanda. Which leaves Tommy left for the surprise of my return. Where is he, anyway?"

"Uh...about that-" Jazz began, but then...

"You're on fire, Max!" a voice shouted. Everyone turned to see a panicked Max a few yard away; his trench-coat was being engulfed in flames as he tinkered with the gas tank of a random hovermobile. Nearby were Thomas, Z, Floyd, and Lloyd, all sitting in Floyd's hovermobile.

"**OH, WHY AM I ON FIRE, OW!**" screamed Max as he ran towards Floyd's car.

"LEMME PUT YOU OUT!" called Floyd as he drove forward. "FLOYD TIME!"

He suddenly hit Max with the car.

"WOW!" Lloyd snapped. "YOU HIT HIM! DAMN YOU AND YOUR FLOYD TIME!"

"**DON'T DISRESPECT THE FLOYD TIME!**" screeched Floyd. Meanwhile, Thomas and Z had quickly stepped out of the car with large pillows in their hands; they began hitting Max with them in an attempt to put out the flames as they continue to scorch his trench-coat.

"OW, OW, OW!" Max cried. "WHY'RE YOU HITTING ME?!"

"WE'RE PUTTING OUT THE FIRE, DAMN IT!" chided Z.

"IT DOESN'T WORK IF YOU KEEP HITTING ME!"

"YEAH, AND SO DOES THE WHOLE STOP, DROP, AND ROLL ROUTINE!"

Marie, Jazz, Dezz, Xavier, Fred, and the others had arrived at the scene, Marie holding a fire extinguisher. She instantly sprayed it onto Max, putting out the fire within a few seconds. Taking off his smoking trench-coat, Max emerged from the smoke, coughing and limping, nearly running into Dezz.

"Are you okay?" Dezz asked.

"What does it look like?" snapped Max, rubbing his eyes. "I think I dislocated an ankle, and I lost my good trench-coat, goddamn it! It took a lot of effort to steal that! Evan's gonna KILL me once he finds out that I lost the trench-coat-" He then opened his eyes and looked at Dezz; a smile crept onto his face as his demeanor turned from anger to coolness and confidence in a flash. "Well, well, well, who do we have _here_? I haven't seen _you_ around..."

Dezz blushed, while Xavier, a sudden ping of jealousy shooting up in his spine, stepped forward in a defensive manner.

"New girl," he replied quickly. "Nothing that'd interest you-"

"Oh, I'm interested, all right," interrupted Max, still looking at Dezz coolly. "What's your name?"

"Okay, that's it." Xavier took Dezz's hand and began leading her away. "Dezz, don't listen to him, or any of those guys. They're bad news."

"But Tommy's hanging out with them, Xavier," Dezz replied. "They can't be that bad."

Thomas, who had been preoccupied with clearing out the fire on Max's trench-coat with Z, suddenly looked up and saw Dezz, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Dezz?" he asked. "W-What're _you_ doing here?"

"Hi, Tommy," Dezz replied. "Who are your friends? Xavier says they're bad news."

"They _are_, Dezz," said Marie quickly as she gave the five Gang members a nasty glare, as did Jazz. "They are the Duster Rebel Gang, the troublemakers of the school. You don't wanna be hanging around with them even if your life depended on it."

"What?" Dezz looked at Thomas. "Tommy, why're you hanging out with them?"

Thomas rolled his eyes, irritated at the prospect of going through the entire routine of defending his actions, only for his argument to fall upon deaf ears.

"I'd tell you," he replied, "but since Marie or Jazz aren't believing me, I doubt you would either."

"Try me."

Thomas didn't reply, but Fred did it for him; he had pointed at Adam and his cronies accusingly. "It's because THEY are psychopaths at heart who don't give a damn for anyone but themselves, Dezz. THEY'RE the bad news here. The Gang's just trying to work against him."

"Oh, no," Marie moaned, face-palming herself. "Not you too, Fred..."

"Hey, you should've heard Adam when he was talking about you, Marie!" protested Fred. "He thinks of you as a possession, not a person!"

"What? That's not true!" Adam shouted defensively. "Fred, you're letting the Gang's lies mess up your mind, man!" However, the athlete was giving Fred a threatening look that only he and the other Gang members could recognize.

"_They're_ messing up my mind? I don't approve of the activities they're doing, but I _do_ agree on their terms that you and your friends are narcissistic bullies."

"Narcissists, US?!" snarled Brad. "How DARE you call us that!"

"Well, it's the truth," Z snapped. "You ARE narcissists, you, your psychopathic cronies, and your slut friends!"

"DON'T YOU DARE CALL US SLUTS!" shouted Sasha.

Z scoffed and crossed his arms. "It's the truth, isn't it? Haven't any of you girls looked in a damn MIRROR?!"

In the corner of her eye, Marie saw Rosa looking at Z silently. She looked at her friend and found that she was wearing a sad, pitiful look on her face for some reason. However, any intrigue on Rosa's current expression dissipated when Bridgette spoke up in an angered voice.

"_You_ are the ones who are the psychopaths! Look at you, you're all running around the school, rigging stuff to blow, spraying graffiti all over the place, creeping people out for the fun of it, stealing others' belongings... If there's anyone in this school who are the psychopaths, it's you guys!"

"WHY DON'T YOU SHUT YOUR DAMN MOUTH, SLUT?!" screamed Thomas furiously.

"EVERYONE, **STOP IT**!"

Everyone looked at Dezz, startled by her sudden outburst. Her eyes were glistening with tears, but she stood on her ground firmly as she stared down everyone else.

"This is NOT what I wanted to happen during my reunion with all of my good friends!" she exclaimed loudly and firmly. "It ISN'T! I don't know why you guys are butting heads with each other, but please, can't we just set aside our differences? This is just my second day back here in Danville, and I don't want it to go down terribly."

"_Um_...so, what'd we miss?" Floyd and Lloyd had just concluded their argument and arrived at the scene. Thomas, Z, and Max looked at them and gave them gestures towards the car, prompting the twins to return to the hovermobile and start it.

"Sorry, no deal," Z replied. "But I think we can do something as satisfactory: get out of all your damn ugly faces." When he stated his latest sentence, he appeared to be looking at Rosa in particular, something both Marie and Thomas noticed. He smirked as he concluded, "Let's blow it, guys."

He walked off towards Floyd's hovermobile, Thomas following close behind. However, Max remained behind, still looking at Dezz.

"I'll see you later, sweet cakes," he said flirtatiously, winking at her before turning around and leaving. He half-limped into the hovermobile, seconds before it flew off.

Dezz blinked, still blushing furiously, and replied, "Well...that was..._weird_..."

"Ignore 'em, Dezz," Xavier said. "They're bad guys; you don't wanna associate yourself with them."

"I don't think they're bad guys."

"_What_?!" Jazz exclaimed in despair. "Oh _no_, Dezz, _please_ don't get yourself caught up with them! They're bad news-"

"I don't think they're bad news. ...Or, at least, Danny doesn't think so."

"Danny?" Brad asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Oh, that's right, Danny! You can't see him, but he's a ghost that only I can see! He can deduce people's true spirits by looking at him since he's dead. And he's looked at these Duster Rebel Gang guys, and he says they're good guys at heart." She then spoke to empty air. "Honestly, Danny, you've got really interesting opinions about people. Oh, speaking of which, what do you see in Marie and Jazz's new friends?"

"Uh..." said Sam. "_Okay_..."

"Deal with it, guys," Jazz replied. She then looked at Dezz as she continued to listen to the empty air, and then, she lowered her voice into a low whisper. "Danny's her imaginary friend, since she's been so lonely as a kid. I'm not really surprised she still uses him-"

"I heard that, Jazz," Dezz interrupted. She then looked at the same space of empty air. "Huh? What's that, Danny?"

Unbeknownst to anyone but themselves, Adam looked at Brad, Mike, and Sam and made a circle above his temple with his index finger, whistling comically and rolling his eyes. Brad and Mike snickered quietly and jeeringly, but Sam pursed his lips in a rather pitiful way as he looked back at Dezz. It was at that point that Dezz's eyes suddenly widened; she looked at Adam and his lackeys and blinked, her skin becoming pale. She then smiled innocently and looked at Marie, Jazz, Xavier, and Fred.

"Marie, Jazz, can I speak to you in private for a sec?" she asked.

"Sure," Marie replied absentmindedly, still focused on something. The four followed Dezz a few yards farther.

"So, what's up, Dezz?" Jazz asked. "What do you think of our friends?"

Dezz's reply was honest and terse. "I don't like 'em."

"What? What do you mean, girl?"

"Danny saw into their souls. Bridgette, Sasha, Rosa, and Sam are redeemable, but Adam, Brad, and Mike...they're of pure EVIL."

Fred sighed in relief and patted Dezz on the back. "It's great to see you're on track, Dezz."

"No, NOT great," snapped Jazz. "Dezz, how in the world could you SAY that?"

"Because Danny said it-"

"Screw your goddamn imaginary friend, Dezz!" When that angered outburst drew a shocked gasp from Dezz, Jazz's expression softened in an instant. "Oh, I'm sorry, Dezz, I really am. I didn't mean to, eh, _insult_ him, but honestly, I don't see anything wrong with them. You should tell Danny to get his eye checked or something-"

"Danny doesn't deny what he said. He _knows_ those guys are pure evil-"

"My GOD! First Tom, then Fred, and now you! Who's next? Xavier?"

"Actually..." said Xavier suddenly, as he stood beside Dezz, "if Danny's convinced that Adam, Brad, and Mike are bad news, then I agree with him...and Dezz."

"I HAD to open my big mouth," Jazz snarled.

"Guys," Marie piped, "let's not fight, please. We've already lost Tom as a friend; I don't wanna lose the rest of you. We can talk about this some other time. Like Dezz said, this is her second day back here. Let's make today a memorable day for her, shall we?"

"Yeah, yeah..." Jazz replied. "Sorry about that. Welcome back, Dezz, it's great to have you back here."

However, Marie noticed a strange flash appear in Jazz's eyes for a second as she stared at Dezz.

_"Great,"_ she thought. _"Now I have _two _things to worry about: Rosa's attitude towards that Gang member, and Jazz and Dezz's relationship..."_

* * *

"What d'you think they're talking about?" Brad whispered to Adam as they, along with the rest of the group, watched Dezz's conversation with her friends. "Whatever that Dezz chick is saying, it's upsetting Jazz quite a lot."

"I don't know. But there's one thing I know: that Dezz doesn't trust us. ...For all I know, she's probably trying to rat us out to her friends."

Mike scoffed. "Unlikely to work, though. We have those bitches in the palm of our hands."

"Yes, indeed..." But Adam was still looking at Dezz, a malicious smirk forming on his face. "But still, we must ensure that this Dezz mustn't interfere with our operations. It oughta be easy; she has this so-called _imaginary friend_." He spoke the last two words with a heavy jeering emphasis; Brad and Mike snickered evilly. "It'll be easy to discredit her. Pretty soon, Marie and Jazz will treat her as an enemy, as much as they do with Thomas."

"I don't know about that..." said Sam.

"Are you arguing with me, Sam?" Adam asked with a disturbing calmness.

"..._No_..."

* * *

"Who _was_ that chick, Thomas?" asked Max as he nonchalantly inspected his charred trench-coat. "She was very cute."

"An old friend of Marie's, Dezz," Thomas replied as he stared at Z, who was looking out of the window of Floyd's hovermobile. "If you like her, Max, good luck on trying to win her love. She's a bit strange, and she sees things differently. She'll misinterpret your love as some sort of sucking-up to her imaginary friend, Danny."

"It won't be a problem." Max puffed out his chest confidently. "I have a particular set of skills in wooing hearts."

"Yeah, I remember the last time you quoted 'Taken', Max," Lloyd said jeeringly. "Remember how THAT turned out?"

"Okay, okay, so maybe trying to fight a Mexican drug-cartel wasn't the best idea. But I swear, man, this'll turn out better!"

Lloyd scoffed, but Max ignored it as he began to formulate a scheme to win Dezz's heart. Meanwhile, Thomas decided to talk to Z.

"Uh, Z?" he asked.

"Yeah, Thomas?"

"Um...I noticed that you seemed to be looking at one of those girls back there. Rosie, I believe her name was?"

"Rosa," Z corrected instinctively. Thomas smiled; he had fallen for his clever trick.

"So, you DO know her, Z!"

Z cursed under his breath, then replied, "So what if I do?"

* * *

"What were you guys talking about?" Bridgette asked as Marie, Jazz, Dezz, Xavier, and Fred returned to the rest of the group.

"Oh, Dezz was telling us a personal story about her experiences in Seattle," replied Marie. "It's something she doesn't really want you to hear."

"What, she doesn't _trust_ us?" Adam asked innocently.

"She trusts us because we're her old childhood friends. But she'll warm up to you eventually, is that right, Dezz?"

"Yeah," Dezz replied with some reluctance, but only Marie, Jazz, Xavier, and Fred noticed that tone.

"Hey, since you're already here, Dezz," Sasha said, "why don't we give you a tour of Danville High School?! It's now tutoring hours, we still have enough time to walk around the school and show you around! I swear, you're gonna LIKE it!" She took Dezz's hand and half-dragged her towards the school as the rest followed behind.

Looking at Rosa, Marie took her chance to ask her about Z. Running up alongside her friend, she asked, "Hey, Rosa. Whatcha' thinkin' about?"

"Nothing," replied Rosa glumly.

"Come on, girl, you can tell me!" She paused, unsure if she should continue, but she decided to. "Say, you really seemed to be looking at one of the Gang members a lot, yesterday and today. The one with the long, greasy black hair. What was his name, Z, I believe it was?"

"I guess. Why do you ask?"

Marie turned serious. "Come on, Rosa, I know there's something going on between you and him! You should see the way you were looking at him!"

"It's nothing, all right? So what if I know him?"

* * *

"_So what_?" repeated Thomas. "Something's going on between you and her, and I deserve to know what! I'm your friend, Z, you can tell me!"

* * *

"_So what_?" repeated Marie. "Something's going on between you and him, and I deserve to know what! I'm your friend, Rosa, you can tell me!"

* * *

Z looked at Max, Floyd, and Lloyd to see if they were listening. Currently, Max was spaced out as he continued to plan on how to catch Dezz's attention, and Floyd and Lloyd had begun arguing again when a strange smell began to fill the hovermobile interior. He then leaned towards Thomas.

"Okay," he whispered. "I know her. ...She was my childhood friend..."

* * *

Rosa looked at the others to see if they were listening. Currently, most of them were focused on showing Dezz around the school, save for Adam, Brad, Mike, and Sam, who appeared to be whispering to each other. She then leaned towards Marie.

"Okay," she whispered. "I know him. ...He was my childhood friend..."

* * *

"...And my..._crush_..." completed Z, blushing now. His face then hardened into an enraged mask. "That is, until she joined those _populars_ and became like them."

"Oh," Thomas replied, shocked by the revelation. "Z...I-I never _knew_..."

"Now you do." Z then turned away, anger and some other emotion on his face. "Let's never talk about this again. EVER."

* * *

"...My _best friend_..." completed Rosa, a tear of sadness appearing in her eyes and slowly flowing down her cheek. Her face then hardened into an enraged mask. "That is, until she joined that Gang and became like _them_."

"Oh, no," Marie replied, shocked by the revelation. "Rosa...I-I never _knew_..."

"Now you do." Rosa sniffled and looked into Marie's eyes seriously. "I should've told you this when we first met, Marie, but I was afraid of looking weak in front of you. But, it's obvious you fully understand the position I am in...the position YOU are in. ...Marie, DO NOT lose Thomas. Don't lose him like I lost Z... Get him back, no matter what. Do you promise me that, Marie? Do you PROMISE?"

Marie, initially flabbergasted by Rosa's outpouring of emotion, became serious and nodded.

"Yes, Rosa," she said. "I promise."

* * *

As Dezz continued to experience a tour of the school, Sasha looked at Bridgette.

"Hey, Brid?" she asked.

"Yeah?" replied Bridgette.

"Those Gang members were fooling around with someone's gas tank. D'you know whose car it is?"

"No idea. Hopefully that person's okay."

* * *

Mr. Blake whistled merrily as he walked towards his hovermobile, not noticing the open gas valve. Getting inside, he started its engine.

A minute later, the interior was filled with a smoky white powder, and he tumbled out of the car, gasping for air as hives appeared on his skin.

Miles away, Evan and Raoul snickered triumphantly at the teacher's misfortune as Byron put away a bag of itching powder inside his backpack.

"_This time_ the powder works," Raoul commented.

* * *

Inside an unknown location, a person had finished writing down something on a piece of paper.

**4-5-22-9-12-19 14-9-7-8-20: 23-1-20-3-8 15-21-20**

**1 7-15-15-4 6-18-9-5-14-4**

He or she then put the paper inside an envelope bearing the address of the Fletcher household before staring at a nearby large board. It was holding photos of a total of twenty-three teenagers, including Dezz and Raoul; all of them seemed rather oblivious of the photographer's existence. All of the photos were surrounded by what appeared to be a symbol from the Greek alphabet; Dezz's photo had a pi symbol, and Raoul's had a lambda symbol. The photos were grouped in a circle that revolved around another photo, which was showing a calendar with one of its days circled repeatedly. Judging by how the photo was taken, it was taken in a rush.

Underneath this photo was a yellow post-it with the writing: _February 29, 2036: IMPORTANT?_

On the circle of photos was also an empty space where a potential twenty-fourth photo should be; the symbol for the missing space was that of an omega symbol. It was surrounded by multiple question marks.

* * *

**Next Episode Summary:** Choir tryouts have begun, and Marie and Bridgette are among the participants. Will they make it in the choir? Will they get disqualified? Will one of them have to bite the other's dust? Also, Dezz becomes a new target of Adam's bullying.

* * *

**A/N:** And here we have a new main character, Destiny "Dezz" Horowitz! Her presence is definitely guaranteed to turn this story around in more ways than one!

Z and Rosa's back-story will be developed further in later chapters, and I will spoil to you that the subplot will either make or break Marie and Thomas once and for all.

And it looks like there is a little game-on situation for this mystery character that's been frequently appearing. What do you think he or she is after, and what do you think is up with that gnarly-looking board he or she has got? And most of all, who do you think he or she is?

I'd like to thank those who reviewed:

**thedoraemons7:** The way you worded your review makes it very confusing to understand. What is it you're trying to say?

**14AmyChan:** Unfortunately, he's gonna be that way for several more episodes. DX

**random guy (guest reviewer):** **WTF**?! I NEVER said that! If I did, that was NEVER my intention! I will spoil to you that Adam will NOT succeed in taking Marie's virginity!

**damonika2009:** Yes, you're gonna have to see.

**woodland5 (guest reviewer):** Hopefully you enjoyed how I handled Dezz! I loved writing her down.

**Cute as a button22:** I'm very glad to hear that from you! :D :D :D

**Deborahpflover:** Ah, I see. And you'll see more of the Gang's new members in future chapters.

**TheInScriptor666 (guest reviewer):** Well, after reading this chapter, maybe you might not like Jazz anymore. For a bit, at least.

**Axis22:** It's okay if you're late in reviewing. Anyway, on with the unnecessarily-long responses. Yes, I mentioned an unplanned pregnancy, and that IS still happening. It's not Marie, though, as you've seen in random guy's response. You hate the name Adam, huh? Well, I guess I picked the right name for my antagonist! :D Things will not be looking up in the next few chapters or so, sorry. You are gonna have to rely on the Gang's shenanigans for comic relief. As for how Operation: Red Thunder will be exposing Adam and his cronies, I will explain why that part of the plan is so vague, for it was INTENTIONAL.

Jeez, I'm updating this story frequently. Maybe I should now start focusing on "A Love Unexpected", it's kinda being neglected, poor it...

Well, hope you enjoyed this chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!


	12. Choir Tryouts

**A/N:** Sorry for the brief period of inactivity, everyone. First of all, my brother kept hogging the computer for most of the previous couple of days. Then, for a couple days more, for some reason, my Internet access was out because a so-called Domain Name Server was offline or whatever. I had to rely on my computer-savvy dad to save the day. And then, there was finals to study for. But now, I'm back, thanks to a little amount of available time, and I'm ready to dish out today's episode! ENJOY!

**IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS:**

-Marie Flynn DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Angelus19 and sam-ely-ember.  
-Thomas Fletcher DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Melty19.  
-Jasmine Rai DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to sam-ely-ember and Melty19.  
-Bridgette Clark DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Orthgirl123, Angelus19, and sam-ely-ember.  
-Destiny "Dezz" Horowitz DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Ciomy.  
-Daniel or "Danny" DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Ciomy.  
-The song "A Thousand Miles" DOES NOT belong to me! All claims of ownership fall to Vanessa Carlton.

* * *

******Episode 12: Choir Tryouts**

* * *

_**October 9, 2035**_

Marie stood on the stage, staring down the audience seats of the school auditorium. They were all empty, aside from the choir teacher Ms. Mulligan, her assistant, and the school's vice-principal. All of them were looking at her patiently, waiting for her to sing; Ms. Mulligan held a clipboard that she was using to write down notes for the choir applicants. Marie then glanced towards the pianist. She nodded at her approvingly.

The redheaded teenager then looked at the microphone that was leveled near her mouth. It was recording each and every nervous breath that she took. She looked over at the empty seats again. Even though only four pairs of eyes were on her, it felt as if the entire stadium was filled to the last seat. Marie gulped, the movement of her esophagus unfortunately being recorded by the sensitive microphone.

"It's okay, dear," Ms. Mulligan said encouragingly. "Go on ahead, whenever you're ready."

Beads of hot sweat appeared on Marie's forehead, making it glisten with the stage-lights. She wasn't really sure if she could do this again. Her first try was a complete disaster; if she failed dismally on her second try, she didn't know if she would ever forgive herself.

She gulped again, feeling frozen in her current position, the sweat beginning to drip down her head; Marie had never felt so much pressure in her entire life. Then, as time began to suddenly stand still all around her, she began to reminisce about the events that got her here in the first place...

* * *

_**October 8, 2035**_  
_**Columbus Day**_  
_**One day earlier**_

"Happy Columbus Day, girls!" Marie exclaimed happily as she, Jazz, Dezz, Bridgette, Sasha, and Rosa sat on the popular table, eating lunch. "We celebrate yet another year of Christopher Columbus founding the Americas, as my History teacher always says!"

"Yeah," a voice said sarcastically. "Today marks the day Columbus kicks off the formation of this godforsaken country. Yay for him."

Evan was approaching the group of schoolgirls, a smirk on his face. Behind him were Thomas, Steven, Z, and Max, all of whom were staring nastily at them. Bridgette stood up defensively and stared into Evan's eyes with her own enraged eyes.

"Leave us alone, bastard," she snapped at him. "You think you're so high and mighty? Well, you're just proving yourselves to be losers, _that's_ what you're all doing!"

Evan let out a sadistic, almost maniacal laugh. "Oh, insult us and our movement all you want, Clark, but just wait. The Duster Rebel Gang will soon get the last laugh, and believe me-" He glared at the entire group, continuing to smirk. "-you'll ALL be begging for our damn mercy. Well, I must warn you: you _won't_ be getting any of that crap when the time comes. I recommend that you all watch out for yourselves. Later, bitches!"

He stalked off towards the Gang's table, which was occupied by the rest of the Gang, including their newest freshmen inductees. Thomas, Steven, and Z followed their leader, but Max remained; he was looking at Dezz with a clever twinkle in his eye.

"So..._Dezz_..." he said flirtatiously, "what's up with you? How're you holding up in being a student of Danville High School?"

"It's doing well, thank you very much," replied Dezz calmly.

Marie, fearing what Max was planning on doing, stood up and blocked her friend from his view.

"Go away," she said defensively.

"Oh, come on, girl! I'm trying to be nice to the newbie here!"

"Yeah, Marie," Dezz added, nodding in agreement. "Danny has looked into his soul, and he says that he's okay."

Max blinked in confusion at the remark. Marie struggled to hold in her laughter as the Gang member took a step back, as if Dezz were infected with a lethal, contagious disease. His lower jaw was slightly hanging open as he nodded innocently at her.

"_Okay_..." he said, prolonging the word with an innocent yet cautious tone. "I'll just...go now..." And with that, he strode off quickly towards the Gang's table. The group watched him go, all trying to stifle giggles, save for Dezz, naturally.

"I think we've just found our repellent for those Gang guys..." commented Sasha.

"I guess so!" Jazz exclaimed. Just then, her eyes then widened, and she looked at Marie, smiling excitedly. "Hey, Marie, speaking of Columbus Day, I believe that today is supposed to be the day for your choir tryouts, girl!"

"Oh my God, I forgot!" Bridgette cried, squealing happily. "Ooh, I can't wait till school ends! Marie, have you been practicing your singing voice? Honing your skills, girl?"

"Yeah," replied Marie, scratching her scalp nervously. "Yeah, I have been...a lot..."

"So, how does your singing sound? Give us a demonstration!"

Marie gulped, and looked around the cafeteria. Unfortunately for her, it was fully occupied, as usual, with hundreds of students milling about the building or sitting on the tables, eating their food and gossiping. She gulped again; though she'd be likely limiting the volume of her singing voice, she was still unsure if at least one other person would overhear her. She had been practicing, indeed...but from the lonely confines of her bedroom. And unfortunately, she had doubts in her voice.

"I...I don't _know_..." she replied.

"Come on, Marie!" Sasha said encouragingly. "If your voice sounds terrible, we won't laugh! Come on, just give the song you were assigned to sing!"

"O-Okay... If you insist..." Marie took a deep breath, and burst into song, quietly enough so Jazz, Dezz, Bridgette, Sasha, and Rosa could only hear her. Her voice was wavering and nervous, with some parts of her song spoken in an extremely indiscernible tone, and other parts in a higher volume.

_Making my way downtown  
__Walking fast  
__Faces pass  
__And I'm home bound_

_Staring blankly ahead_  
_Just making my way_  
_Making a way_  
_Through the crowd_

_And I need you_  
_And I miss you_  
_And now I wonder..._

_If I could fall_  
_Into the sky_  
_Do you think time_  
_Would pass me by_  
_'Cause you know I'd walk_  
_A thousand miles_  
_If I could_  
_Just see you_  
_Tonight_

_It's always times like these_  
_When I think of you_  
_And I wonder_  
_If you ever_  
_Think of me_

_'Cause everything's so wrong_  
_And I don't belong_  
_Living in your_  
_Precious memories_

_'Cause I need you_  
_And I miss you_  
_And now I wonder..._

_If I could fall_  
_Into the sky_  
_Do you think time_  
_Would pass me by_  
_'Cause you know I'd walk_  
_A thousand miles_  
_If I could_  
_Just see you_  
_Tonight_

_And I, I_  
_Don't want to let you know_  
_I, I_  
_Drown in your memory_  
_I, I_  
_Don't want to let this go_  
_I, I_  
_Don't..._

_Making my way downtown_  
_Walking fast_  
_Faces pass_  
_And I'm home bound_

_Staring blankly ahead_  
_Just making my way_  
_Making a way_  
_Through the crowd_

_And I still need you_  
_And I still miss you_  
_And now I wonder..._

_If I could fall_  
_Into the sky_  
_Do you think time_  
_Would pass us by_  
_'Cause you know I'd walk_  
_A thousand miles_  
_If I could_  
_Just see you..._

_If I could fall_  
_Into the sky_  
_Do you think time_  
_Would pass me by_  
_'Cause you know I'd walk_  
_A thousand miles_  
_If I could_  
_Just see you_  
_If I could_  
_Just hold you_  
_Tonight_

Marie exhaled and looked at her friends, a nervous expression plastered on her face. "So, guys?" she asked. "What...What do you _think_?"

Bridgette blinked and sighed. "I think you're gonna need a _little_ more practice..." she replied.

Marie sighed and collapsed onto the seat, burying her face in her palms in frustration. "Just admit it, girls, I have a terrible singing voice. And even if I improved in time, I don't think I can pull it off. I'm only comfortable in singing in Thomas and/or Jazz's presences..."

"Then just imagine us in the audience seats, Marie!" interjected Jazz encouragingly.

"I guess..."

But Marie's smile faltered.

* * *

Soon, lunchtime ended, and fourth period was close to beginning. Dezz bade farewell to Marie, Jazz, Bridgette, Sasha, and Rosa, and she walked out of the cafeteria and into a hallway, intending to go to her class, English. It was her favorite class, despite the fact that her teacher was obviously past his time period. Unfortunately for her, she still wasn't used to getting around the maze of hallways in the school, and every day, she was lost.

Today was no exception. Pretty soon, the hallway was empty of all students except for her. She sighed, and then, she smiled, having just felt a supernatural presence appear right next to her. She glanced to her right to look at her good friend Danny; he hadn't aged at all since she first met him, and as a result, he was now around her age. He sported dark-brown hair and brown eyes, and wore a buttoned white T-shirt with dark-blue cuffs, and blue jeans.

"Hey, Danny," she greeted, smiling at her ghostly friend.

"Hey, Dezz," replied Danny, smiling back. "Lost again, huh?"

"Yep. This school's definitely bigger than the one back at Seattle. I don't think I can get a hang of this place in a while..."

"Who was that boy who tried to flirt with you? Max, I believe the name was."

"Some new friend of Tommy's. Marie and Jazz don't seem to like him, or the other ones. But you seem to think they're okay."

Danny nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Being a ghost, I've looked into their souls, and I could see that while he had evil within him, he had a quality of redemption."

Dezz shook her head disapprovingly. "Oh, if only Marie and Jazz had what you had, Danny. That way, they wouldn't be so disagreeing towards me." She sighed, this time with sadness. "They still think you're an imaginary friend, Danny. If only I could prove 'em wrong somehow..."

"It's okay, Dezz. They're still your friends. Don't let anything, including me, change that."

Before Dezz could reply, another voice rang out. "Well, well, well, if it isn't good ol' Dezz!"

Danny disappeared, just as Dezz turned around. She saw Adam, Brad, Mike, Sam, and another athlete heading towards her. Adam had a malicious expression on his face; Brad, Mike, and the other athlete were chuckling evilly; and Sam looked very reluctant in his actions.

"How are ya doing, Dezz?" Brad asked as Mike chuckled jeeringly.

"I'm doing good, thank you very much," replied Dezz, stepping back cautiously. "I'm just..._lost_..."

"Oh, really?" asked Adam. "Where are you going?"

"English. Gus Henderson's room."

"We know where it is." But Adam's smile was malicious and crafty. "We'll guide you there..."

* * *

"Alright, next is Flynn, Marie," announced the voice of Ms. Mulligan. "She will be singing, uh, 'A Thousand Miles' by Vanessa Carlton. Marie, come on up!"

Marie gulped as she eyed the stage as if it were a ravenous carnivore that was standing in front of her. She had been excused from her Health class and routed to the school auditorium, where she witnessed students carry out their respective tryouts. There were some who had horrible singing voices (one had a voice was so horrid that Bridgette was struggling to hold back laughter as Ms. Mulligan struggled to hold back tears of revulsion), but a majority of the applicants were extremely talented, having evidently studied their songs and practiced their singing so extensively and thoroughly. Their excellent, almost perfect performances severely intimidated Marie, who had apprehension that she wouldn't live up to their standards.

"Good luck, Marie!" Marie turned towards Bridgette, who was smiling at her. The redhead smiled back at her and then walked onto the stage, towards the microphone. She spotted Ms. Mulligan, a kindly middle-aged woman with a British accent in her voice, sleek black hair, and a gentle smile, which she was using at her.

"Okay, Marie, when you're ready," she said.

Marie gulped nervously, having just realized that she had come up to the microphone. She clutched it and brought it towards her before glancing at Ms. Mulligan again; sitting beside her were her assistant, a male student who appeared to be a senior, with his tall, gangling appearance and pockmarks on his face, likely left from a rash of pimples. Also sitting there was the vice-principal, a middle-aged, heavyset man with a heavily bored, almost drowsy expression on his bearded face. She looked into all three of them, feeling sweat appear on her forehead as the pressure mounted on her shoulders. Her hands trembled, almost dropping the microphone...

"Marie?" asked Ms. Mulligan. "Are you okay?"

"Y-Y-Yeah..." Marie replied, but her hands continued trembling. The choir teacher noticed her mood and pursed her lips.

"Marie, you can try again tomorrow if you want-"

"No, I've got this," the girl interrupted. "I've got this, I've got this..."

"If you insist. When you're ready." She held her clipboard on her lap, preparing to write down notes. Marie looked at it, her apprehension mounting steadily.

Everyone's eyes were on Marie now, including Bridgette and the other applicants after her. It was silent in the auditorium for a few moments. Finally, a boy with stringy blond hair and wearing ratty clothes moaned angrily and shouted, "HURRY UP ALREADY!"

Marie didn't respond to the outburst, but now, her knees had started buckling, and the trembling present in her hands had become worse. Ms. Mulligan, sensing that the redhead wasn't taking the pressure well, prepared to say something when she, and everyone else, gasped in horror.

Marie had fainted.

* * *

Marie opened her eyes slowly and found Ms. Mulligan, Bridgette, and the others crowded before her; Ms. Mulligan had Marie's head in her lap, having presumably tried to revive her. The choir teacher smiled at her and let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh, thank goodness you came to!" she exclaimed. "I was thinking of probably getting the nurse-"

"Are you okay, girl?" Bridgette asked worriedly.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm alright..." moaned Marie.

"Marie, maybe you should just try again tomorrow, or just quit," continued Ms. Mulligan. "It's obvious you got the stage fright. I've never seen anyone look so nervous on the stage in my entire life. Just go back to class and think about what you should do..."

Marie nodded in agreement and silently stood up, walking off the stage, feeling everyone's eyes now on her.

The moment she got outside of the auditorium, the teenager leaned against the wall, slid down to the ground, and buried her face in her arms, starting to weep. She couldn't believe that she had failed herself in a quality she had complete confidence in: singing.

* * *

"Hey, honey," Phineas greeted as Marie got into his hovermobile, the school day having ended. "How was school?"

"Good," Marie lied.

"How about your choir tryouts? Did you blow 'em away with your excellent singing?"

Marie didn't respond; instead, her face turned scarlet. Phineas noticed the reaction, muttered "Oh", and started the car, flying into the air.

* * *

_**October 9, 2035**_

Phineas parked his car along the area leading towards the Danville High main entrance. He looked at Marie, who was staring apprehensively at the school auditorium.

"Marie, there's no need to worry," he said. "Whatever you wish to do, it's what you want to do, Marie. I'll be proud of you no matter what."

"Thanks, Dad," replied Marie, smiling slightly as she got out of the hovermobile.

"Have fun!"

"I will, Dad." Marie promptly closed the door and walked towards the entrance, hearing her father's car fly away. She looked back and indeed saw the hovermobile in the air, circling around a couple of times before flying off for downtown Danville. She sighed and continued her trek.

Upon entering the school, she saw Jazz, Adam, Bridgette, and Brad standing near a set of lockers. Bridgette was the first one to spot Marie.

"Hey, girl!" the blonde exclaimed. "Are you gonna try again for choir tryouts today?"

"I'm...I'm not really _sure_..."

"Come on, Marie!" said Jazz. "This'll be good for you! Just think, Marie Flynn, a member of the choir, knocking out the entire audience with her awesome singing voice!"

The three girls didn't notice it, but Adam rolled his eyes at Brad, who scoffed back.

"I'll think about it..." Marie replied softly.

"Well, you'd better think about it quick, Marie! You've got until the end of the school day to either make or break your singing talent!"

Marie nodded, just as the corner of her eye caught someone passing by. She recognized the clothing and the chocolate-brown hair.

"Hey, Dezz," she greeted. However, Dezz didn't respond, instead walking faster down the hallway. Marie swore that her hearing caught a hint of sobbing...

"Dezz?" Jazz asked. "Dezz!" When Dezz went out of sight, the Indian girl turned to Marie and Bridgette. "What's wrong with her?"

Adam and Brad smirked at each other.

* * *

It was now fourth period again, and Health class had begun. Marie sat between Adam and Bridgette, twiddling her fingers again. It was at this point she had a really good opportunity to go back to the school auditorium and try out for choir again. But she was nervous. What if she had stage fright again?

She then looked at Steven, who looked extremely frightened in Mr. Blake's presence. The redhead raised an eyebrow at his behavior, just as the teacher began talking in the usual barking tone he always used during a lecture. Marie couldn't blame Steven for being a bit scared; she herself found Mr. Blake intimidating. However, there was something about his fear of Mr. Blake; it seemed to be deeper...

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen!" Mr. Blake barked. "I sincerely hope you've all completed your homework on the nervous system! Pass it all in NOW!"

The students all silently obliged, methodically passing their homework down. As Mr. Blake collected the homework, he spoke again.

"Marie Flynn, you have an optional pass to go to the _choir tryouts_." He spoke the last two words with a seemingly jeering emphasis. "Would you like to take it?"

Marie looked at Bridgette, who nodded at her encouragingly. The redheaded girl remembered seeing Bridgette trying out; she had a very excellent singing voice, and it even made the assistant principal burst in tears. Marie was starting to fear not being able to match, or exceed Bridgette's standards...

But for some reason, it motivated her to reply, "Yes."

"Okay then, get outta here," snapped Mr. Blake grumpily; he obviously disapproved of the school choir. "Be sure to get the notes about the different types of diseases brought by smoking. We have a quiz on them in a couple of days, so make it snappy."

Marie nodded and stood up from her desk, casting a look at Steven, who had now looked down at his desk.

As she left the classroom, she heard Bridgette whisper to her, "Good luck!"

The redhead stepped out of the classroom and walked in the direction of the school auditorium. However, after walking a few feet, she stopped dead in her tracks. She was now starting to regret deciding to try out again. What if she had stage fright again? What if Ms. Mulligan hated her singing voice? What if she made herself look so bad in front of the other applicants? There were a lot of what-if situations, each and every one of them leading to the same outcome: complete and utter disgrace and tarnish of her reputation in Danville High School. She'd never forgive herself.

But...she didn't want to seem like a coward. After all, she had already told Mr. Blake she would be getting to the auditorium. If she came back to the classroom now, it would be equally embarrassing... She could imagine the eyes that would follow her upon her sudden, quick return; the disappointment on Bridgette's face...

"What's the holdup?" a voice asked. She turned around and saw, to her surprise, Ms. Mulligan.

"Ms. Mulligan?" Marie asked. "What're you doing here?"

"Had to go to the bathroom. I was on my way back when I saw you standing in the hallway. I presume you're gonna try out for the choir again."

"I..." Marie hesitated. "I...I don't _know_..."

Ms. Mulligan pursed her lips and patted Marie on the back. "It's okay if you don't wanna join choir-"

"But you don't understand, Ms. Mulligan," interrupted Marie. "I've always loved singing; I've done it my entire life!"

"If you've been singing for your entire life, then surely you'd have confidence in your singing voice." Ms. Mulligan paused for a moment, surveying the teenage girl. "But I suppose there's another problem. But you know what that is, of course."

Marie blushed with embarrassment and looked at the floor sheepishly. "I'm not proud of it..." she whispered.

"There are a lot of things we're not proud of, Marie. But maybe, just maybe, we can learn to become proud of them."

The redhead looked up at the choir teacher, confused. Since when was advice supposed to be _confusing_ nowadays?

"What do you mean?"

Ms. Mulligan smiled brightly. "I would like to let you in on a little secret, Marie. See...I was in a position like yours when I was your age. Except it wasn't stage fright, or a complete absence of confidence on my singing voice. I tried out for choir, just like you. But when I started bursting into song, right on the stage...I realized something for the first time: my singing voice was terrible. Absolutely TERRIBLE.

"I've always thought I had the best singing voice in the world. That thought always crossed my mind whenever I sang to myself in my bedroom. But when I was up on the stage, showing the world my supposed talent...I realized that those plays at self-confidence in my singing voice were all false, all just as a mask to ignore the self-doubt that was already plaguing me. I was shown the truth, and quite most uncomfortably. It was painful at first, Marie, I'll admit that."

"What happened to you afterward?" asked Marie, now curious as to how Ms. Mulligan was able to still hold onto the subject that might've as well turned her away.

The teacher's smile widened. "I realized that it was time to wake up. I was never a good singer. I should have listened to the complaints my parents and siblings were giving me. All that I could do now is to move on from that, and if you can't, then just find a way to get around the obstacle that blocked victory.

"Since singing was the only thing I had, I took the latter route. I practiced my singing voice, improved my skills. And when I tried out again, I failed. But that didn't stop me at all. I just kept improving, and finally, on my third try, I nicked a good spot in the choir." She let out a brief laugh as she reminisced fondly. "Oh, Marie, you really should've seen me when the teacher approved my passage."

"But stage fright is something I can't overcome!" exclaimed Marie in protest. "It's too much pressure!"

"Yeah, and so was trying to improve my singing. Marie, you can _do_ it. If you can't, keep trying. Overcome your stage fright and take the stage! I'll be willing to see you over in a thousand tryouts when you finally get it right."

"But today's the last day of the tryouts, isn't it?"

"You'll be an exception, then," Ms. Mulligan said authoritatively. "If that's what you want, that is. ...Is it?"

Marie blinked, unsure of what to think. She wasn't sure if she could overcome her stage fright; after all, she had never sung in front of a large mass of people that she didn't really know. But...Ms. Mulligan's story was slowly but steadily fueling her with a new-found confidence.

Without thinking it over, the teenager replied, "Yes, it's what I want."

"Excellent!" Ms. Mulligan clapped her hands together once. "Now, come! You don't wanna miss your first chance at the tryouts, don't you?"

And the choir teacher strode off. Marie briefly watched her go, and, with a mixture of confidence and reluctance, she followed again.

* * *

And now, Marie was back on the stage, staring down Ms. Mulligan, her assistant, and the vice-principal. Quite fittingly, she and Ms. Mulligan got back just in time to see the last applicant complete his performance, which was quite abysmal in nature. As a result, she was alone on the stage, with only the three members of her audience looking up at her, expecting her to begin her performance.

"It's okay, dear," Ms. Mulligan said encouragingly. "Go on ahead, whenever you're ready."

Marie nodded and took a deep breath. Still feeling the fear occupy her body, filling in for her soul, she closed her eyes and burst into song.

_Making my way downtown  
__Walking fast  
__Faces pass  
__And I'm home bound_

_Staring blankly ahead_  
_Just making my way_  
_Making a way_  
_Through the crowd_

_And I need you_  
_And I miss you_  
_And now I wonder..._

_If I could fall_  
_Into the sky_  
_Do you think time_  
_Would pass me by_  
_'Cause you know I'd walk_  
_A thousand miles_  
_If I could_  
_Just see you_  
_Tonight_

_It's always times like these_  
_When I think of you_  
_And I wonder_  
_If you ever_  
_Think of me_

_'Cause everything's so wrong_  
_And I don't belong_  
_Living in your_  
_Precious memories_

_'Cause I need you_  
_And I miss you_  
_And now I wonder..._

_If I could fall_  
_Into the sky_  
_Do you think time_  
_Would pass me by_  
_'Cause you know I'd walk_  
_A thousand miles_  
_If I could_  
_Just see you_  
_Tonight_

_And I, I_  
_Don't want to let you know_  
_I, I_  
_Drown in your memory_  
_I, I_  
_Don't want to let this go_  
_I, I_  
_Don't..._

_Making my way downtown_  
_Walking fast_  
_Faces pass_  
_And I'm home bound_

_Staring blankly ahead_  
_Just making my way_  
_Making a way_  
_Through the crowd_

_And I still need you_  
_And I still miss you_  
_And now I wonder..._

_If I could fall_  
_Into the sky_  
_Do you think time_  
_Would pass us by_  
_'Cause you know I'd walk_  
_A thousand miles_  
_If I could_  
_Just see you..._

_If I could fall_  
_Into the sky_  
_Do you think time_  
_Would pass me by_  
_'Cause you know I'd walk_  
_A thousand miles_  
_If I could_  
_Just see you_  
_If I could_  
_Just hold you_  
_Tonight_

Marie's eyes forced themselves open. She let out a gasp so low and indiscernible that even the sensitive microphone couldn't catch it.

She had done it.

And...she sounded _beautiful_.

And Ms. Mulligan, the assistant, and the vice-principal, as well as a janitor who had come into the building to clean it while she was singing; they were all _clapping_.

Marie smiled, barely able to suppress her excitement. She looked at Ms. Mulligan, who nodded at her approvingly. The teenager gasped again, a bit louder this time.

She had made it.

* * *

**Next Episode Summary:** Thomas continues to recruit members for the Gang, and his influence begins to spread beyond Danville High, essentially turning the Gang into an army. Sensing a good opportunity to reach goals beyond Operation: Red Thunder, Evan decides to take advantage of Thomas's heightening popularity.

* * *

**A/N:** FINALLY, I'M DONE! Because I'm so tired now, I'm not gonna make any comments right now.

I'd like to thank those who reviewed (can't answer reviews):

**damonika2009**

**thedoraemons7**

**woodland5 (guest reviewer)**

**14AmyChan**

**Cute as a button22**

**Sabrina06**

**Guest reviewer**

**Axis22**

**Deborahpflover**

**Proxus**

**Monkey Lover 911 (guest reviewer)**

**random guy (guest reviewer)**

Well, hope you enjoyed this VERY LATE chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!


	13. The Duster Rebel Army

**A/N:** Another update again! And so soon! YES! ENJOY!

**IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS:**

-Marie Flynn DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Angelus19 and sam-ely-ember.  
-Thomas Fletcher DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Melty19.  
-Jasmine Rai DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to sam-ely-ember and Melty19.

* * *

**Episode 13: The Duster Rebel Army**

* * *

_**October 13, 2035**_

Sitting on a table in the abandoned chemistry classroom alone, Evan began to muse about the events that have transpired in the past week. In just three days alone, the Gang's quantities have jumped up again; now, there were over forty official members, not including the freshmen that were the primary targets. And all of that was because of Thomas Fletcher, the tough, no-nonsense freshman he recruited about a month ago. Thomas, whose unrelenting contribution had allowed the Duster Rebel Gang to soar to previously-unreachable heights.

Evan smiled maliciously. Just minutes earlier, Thomas had called him, telling him that one of the newest recruits he found knew a couple of students in Marshtown High, and that the recruit was seriously considering recommending his acquaintances in joining the Gang. Oh, it was all going better than the nineteen-year-old senior had hoped and desired for. The Duster Rebel Gang would even be able to reach beyond Danville High and influence students at the other two major high schools of the Tri-State Area, Marshtown High and Jefferson City High.

He smoothly hopped off the table, strode out of the classroom, and entered a lonely and silent hallway. Danville High School was empty of all other students, as it was Saturday, naturally, but that never stopped the Gang from breaking in without anyone noticing.

Evan walked down the hallway and towards the school auditorium, where he knew all of the newest Gang applicants, summoned over by Thomas, were waiting. That would include the Marshtown High students mentioned to him, and, if it was supposed to be his lucky day today, probably students from Jefferson City High as well. As he neared the auditorium, he could hear a loud clamor of voices, all speaking excitedly, filling the room with a furious barrage of sound. His smirk widened; curious and interested minds were always the most ripe for being influenced.

_"Oh, things are going better than I thought it'd go,"_ he thought approvingly as he approached the door that led into the auditorium. _"This will prove to be very,_ very _useful in my mission to disrupt the social order of things... Yes, things are taking a really interesting turn..."_

Evan opened the door and briskly stepped into the auditorium. There, he found, to his shock and also pure pleasure, over a fourth of the auditorium occupied by eager accounted for under a hundred aspiring new members of the Gang. The auditorium fell silent, and everyone's eyes cast themselves upon him. His smirk widened even more as he relished in the attention he was receiving. As he surveyed the students as he walked past them, he realized that he didn't even know a number of them.

Entering the stage, he stopped short upon seeing that the microphone he ordered to be set up was conspicuously absent from its intended position. Evan shot a glare at the red curtains, behind which he knew Floyd and Lloyd were currently standing at.

"Floyd, Lloyd!" he hissed in an admonishing tone. "Where the hell's the microphone?!"

"We were supposed to set it up now?" Floyd's voice replied.

"Of COURSE, you idiot!" snapped Lloyd's voice. He and his twin brother stepped through the curtains, the former holding a microphone and the latter holding the cord. "Evan told us to do so, but were you listening? NO! Instead, you were listening to some goddamn Justin Bieber songs! Since when were people still listening to the lil' bastard, anyway?! He went out of fashion over a DECADE ago!"

"My interests vary," Floyd gruffly said in response. "Don't effing judge me."

The twins quickly set up the microphone and activated it. Evan approached it and cleared his throat, silencing anyone who was still talking among themselves.

"Welcome, everyone," Evan greeted professionally, mentally smiling all the while. "The name's Evan Kelling, one of the original five members and the de facto leader of the Duster Rebel Gang. Welcome to the big show, guys. Never before have I seen so much of you newbies. Being a Gang member requires toughness towards others, defiance towards authority, and, most of all, hatred towards those who make your lives a living hell in the making. I hope you're all up for it."

Many of the new members let out yells and statements of agreement, some even standing up and waving their fists with emphasis. Evan smiled and waved his hands to settle the volume down.

"Relax, everyone. There's no need to get in a rush. You all have potential to become a part of our brotherhood, you all do. But, like someone trying to get a so-called job-" He gave a jeering tone as he spoke the last word. "-you need to take a test that will tell us if you are worthy to become a part of the Gang. Usually, there were three tests, the Three Trials of DMA, which we had new applicants take. But since there are so many of you, I'm willing to make an exception. Now-"

"Where's Thomas?" someone interrupted.

Evan raised an eyebrow as he stared into the crowd. "Um...pardon me?" he asked.

"We want Thomas to come onto the stage and explain it to us!" someone else exclaimed.

"Yeah, he's the one who got us here in the first place!" another student added. "It might as well be HIM explaining it to us! We want Thomas!"

"We want Thomas!" a fourth student yelled.

"WE WANT THOMAS, WE WANT THOMAS, WE WANT THOMAS!" the entire audience chanted loudly, some standing up and waving their fists again.

Evan blinked, surprised by the audience's attitude. He then smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Okay, okay, if Thomas is what you all want," he announced in response, waving his hands to appease the crowd, "then I'll give you Thomas."

Everyone burst into a collective uproar of cheering as Evan strode towards the backstage. Upon disappearing from everyone's eyesight, he scowled nastily. He never expected the new members to want Thomas over him, the leader of the Gang, and he can't say that he _approved_ of that. But if that's what they wanted, then he'd give it to them. This was too good of an opportunity to waste.

Evan stepped behind a prop-piece and found Thomas, Steven, Z, Max, and Raoul, all of whom had been sitting there, overhearing Evan's address to the new members. Thomas was already standing up, straightening out his trench-coat; he had obviously heard the audience's clamor.

"I guess they want me," Thomas concluded.

"They're all yours, man," replied Evan through clenched teeth as he gestured towards the stage.

As Thomas walked towards the stage, to his waiting fans, Evan pursed his lips disapprovingly.

* * *

Thomas calmly approached the microphone, just as the audience let out another collective roar upon seeing his modest entrance. Smiling a friendly smile as he relished in his sudden popularity, he waved his hands, silencing the crowd almost immediately.

"Hey, everyone," he said into the microphone. "I see you've all taken my forwarded email to come over here today. Now, tell me, is there anyone who is NOT a student at Danville High? Raise your hand if that is so. Don't be shy."

A number of students raised their hands; the quantity was just under half of the audience.

"I suppose you Marshtown High guys were told about this by a friend who comes here."

"Actually," a student replied, "I come from Jefferson City High."

"Me too," added another student.

"Me three," a third student said, while a few others also nodded in agreement. Thomas's eyes widened; he knew that a couple of the freshmen he recruited had some friends attending Marshtown High, but he didn't expect anyone from Jefferson City High to hear of the news.

"How'd you guys find out about this place?" Thomas asked.

"A classmate of mine received an email from a friend in Marshtown High, telling him of the news," explained a student. "He started gossiping it all over my school, and people became interested with the Gang. Especially those who were being picked on by the athletes. ...Including me..."

Thomas frowned. "I know how you feel, man. I've got athletes up my ass too." He then put on a determined expression. "But we cannot let that overcome us, now do we? Do we?!" When he was greeted with a roar of agreement, he continued, "This is what the Gang is all about: getting back at our enemies! So, it is great to hear that students from all three high schools are interested in joining us. Now, on with the new test Evan created for you..."

* * *

The following night, Thomas, Evan, Steven, Z, Max, Raoul, Floyd, Lloyd, Byron, and several members sat in an abandoned warehouse, silently waiting for the others to return from the tasks they were assigned to. As they did so, Evan tapped Thomas on the shoulder, attracting his attention.

"May I talk to you in private?" Evan asked.

Thomas nodded, and he followed Evan toward the rear end of the room the Gang was in. Evan stopped by a grimy, broken window and looked out of a hole; the moon was present in the sky, unhindered by any clouds. He then turned around to face Thomas, his trench-coat flying.

"Those newbies really look up to you," he said. "They followed your orders like they were your mindless slaves..."

"Well, I _was_ the one who brought them here in the first place," replied Thomas modestly.

Evan frowned, his eyes narrowing at Thomas. "I appreciate the help you've given to me and the Gang, man. I really do. I've never seen so much determination to join our cause. But listen here, man, it is _I_ who is in charge of the Gang, not you. You got that?"

Thomas's eyes widened in surprise. "Y-Yeah, I know that! I'm not trying to usurp you or anything, if that's what you're implying..."

"It is EXACTLY what I'm implying," snapped Evan nastily. He then smiled suddenly. "But, all criticism aside...I gotta say, I LIKE how everyone seems to hang onto your every word. Which is why I have decided to let you be the Gang's spokesperson. You can attract everyone's attention with sentences that require only few words! It is a trait I find desirable from you. Which comes to my intention of talking to you in the first place: keep all the newbies in line, but don't overdo it, lest you wanna make me feel like you're usurping my position. And trust me, you're not gonna like the repercussions. Understand?"

"Understood, Evan."

Evan's smile widened, and he clapped Thomas on the shoulder as he escorted him back to the rest of the Gang.

"I _knew_ I made the right choice in letting Z bring you here... You're gonna bring this Gang to a whole new level. We're going down in history, all thanks to you."

Thomas smiled back, relishing in the compliment. He nodded and patted Evan on the shoulder as thanks.

He, nor Evan didn't notice Steven watching them, a look of reluctance on his face.

* * *

_**October 14, 2035**_

"Morning, Mom!" Marie greeted as she skipped down the staircase excitedly. "Morning, Dad! It's a great morning, isn't it?"

However, she didn't receive any response. The redhead saw that the kitchen was unoccupied, and she could hear the TV in the family room blaring. She walked over to the family room and found Phineas and Isabella sitting on a couch, watching a news channel. Both of them were wearing expressions of shock and disbelief; their jaws were hanging open like loose puppet parts. Marie glanced at the TV, wondering what material it was that had her parents' attention...and gasped. An aerial recording of Danville during the nighttime was currently being aired. It was displaying with full detail the rooftops of the city.

Numerous buildings were ablaze, burning furiously. The coordinated positions of the fires gave off the shape of a smiley-face: two large fires for eyes; small fires, 'dots' that outlined a circle that surrounded the entire 'face'; more small 'dot' fires, which were positioned to give the curve of a smile...

The news ticker read in bold lettering: 'ARSON SPREE ROCKS DANVILLE'.

The phone standing on the nearby table rang, and Isabella promptly answered it.

"Hello?" he asked. His eyes then widened. "Addie! Yeah, I'm watching the news too! Can you believe it?! My God, how could someone be so cruel? Are the other girls watching the news too?" A brief silence. "I know, right? It's as if the guy had no concern for others- Wait, what? Your channel is saying there are _multiple_ arsonists that did this? Witnesses have confirmed this? Like a gang? My God, this is so terrible, too terrible..."

Marie, however, wasn't paying attention to the last sentence. The moment she heard the word 'gang', she instantly knew who the arsonists were.

* * *

"Has everyone watched the news?" Thomas announced, beseeching the crowd of new Gang members that were before him. When numerous heads nodded, he smiled at Evan, who smiled back. He then addressed the Gang. "Excellent, everyone! I've seen the news too; it was a job well done. The police guys have seen nothing yet; once Operation: Red Thunder gets underway, they'll be in for the shock of their lives."

Numerous Gang members let out a cheer, filling the warehouse with the noisy uproar, or otherwise applauded loudly. Thomas held out his arms, basking in the glory of attention he was getting. Evan winced a little at Thomas's action, but otherwise nodded approvingly. He knew things were going according to plan, if not better. Pretty soon, his message of anarchy, chaos, and upsetting of the natural order would be spread.

Nearby, Steven watched alongside Z and Max as Thomas continued to absorb the cheering of the Gang members. Looking at his friends, who weren't giving him even a hint of a notice, the red-haired teenager then slunk away silently, his head down, his hands deep in his pockets. He had to say, he didn't approve even the _slightest_ of all the developments Thomas was bringing. Not one bit did he find anything beneficial out of it.

The moment he had heard that his best friend had become the essential 'recruiter' for the Gang, Steven sensed that nothing good could come out of that decision. And even worse...ever since Thomas became the Gang's recruiter, and later, their 'spokesperson', he felt that his friend, the only person he can trust in such a while, had been _pushing him away_ recently, like he was a superfluous variable to the equation.

Soon, Steven found himself stepping out of the warehouse the Gang was currently in. He looked up at it, inspecting it silently. According to Max, the Gang came across it last year and have been using it for occasions such as this. He sighed and resumed his trek toward Danville High, which was just a couple of blocks away.

As he approached the high school, he found two people also heading towards it, from the opposite direction. At a closer glance, he recognized them as Marie and Jazz.

It didn't take long for Marie to spot him. She marched over towards him and slapped him hard on the face.

"OW! What was THAT for?!" Steven cried as he rubbed his bruised cheek.

"For getting Tommy into so much trouble!" exclaimed Marie in response. "I saw the news, and I KNOW it was you guys!"

"Trust me, Marie, Thomas wasn't involved in any of it. It's the so-called trial for new Gang members to join."

"Trial?" repeated Jazz, crossing her arms. "As if you Gang guys don't have enough members, huh?"

"Apparently so," Steven spat. "Evan's working continuously to expand the Gang. He's turning it into a practical army. Heh. You should see the numbers we've got back at that warehouse over there." He pointed off at the direction from which he came. "And guess what? They're all crowding around Thomas, treating him as their hero."

"What're you talking about?" Marie asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"Thomas brought them all in at Evan's request. He's now the Gang's recruiter. And he's doing a VERY good job at it..."

Marie's eyes widened in shock. "But..._why_? Why's Tommy doing this?"

Steven rolled his eyes. Marie frowned.

"Don't you think I didn't see that, Steven! Why's Tommy doing this?!"

"What do ya THINK?!" Steven screamed, shocking the red-haired girl. "I'm really, _really_, REALLY **FUCKING T****IRED** of explaining it all to you for the thousandth time! I'm fucking done! You wanna know why your precious lil' Tommy is doing this?! FUCKING LOOK AT ADAM AND TELL WHAT YOU SEE! THAT OUGHTA BE EASY, HUH?!"

Marie and Jazz, shocked and horrified by Steven's outburst, stepped away from him cautiously. The redheaded boy clenched his teeth and stalked away. Watching him go in silence, Marie then glared at Jazz curiously, an eyebrow raised.

"Jazz," she said, "d'you think Steven could be right about that? He seems really convinced..."

Jazz scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Don't listen to him, Marie, he just doesn't like Adam for some reason. Besides, where's the proof backing his claims?"

Marie sighed, knowing that Jazz was right, and then glanced at the direction Steven pointed at.

* * *

Simultaneous to Marie, Jazz, and Steven's conversation, Thomas had excused the new Gang members for today's meeting, and watched them all as they dispersed out of the warehouse, their newly-purchased trench-coats fluttering with the air. He smiled and turned to Evan, Z, Max, Raoul, Floyd, Lloyd, and Byron.

"Well, that concludes our meeting here," Evan said. "See ya suckers tomorrow."

Just then, Thomas noticed Steven was missing. "Hey, where's Steven?"

"Probably had to go early," Max replied. "I'm pretty sure we'll be seeing him tomorrow, as usual. Later!"

After bidding his friends farewell, Thomas walked out of the warehouse and stopped in his tracks. Standing there were Marie and Jazz.

Sighing, he asked, "What, Marie, Jazz?"

"Steven told us everything," replied Marie. "Why, Tommy? Why would you affiliate yourself with such people? D'you have any idea of the buildings, all the _homes_ and all the _businesses_ that were lost, all because you hate my boyfriend?"

"He's NOT your boyfriend," Thomas spat savagely. "He's nothing more than a psychopathic bastard who just wants your body." He smirked. "Trust me, Marie, when all of this is done, and Adam is exposed for what he truly is, then you'll be THANKING me." He stretched out his arms dramatically. "EVERYONE will be thanking me!"

"You've gone mad, Tom," Jazz said. "That Gang, it's getting to your head!"

"So what? Maybe I _like it_." His smirk widened as he stepped forward and shouldered both girls as he passed them. "Spare me your concern, you two. I have given you more than enough chances to win back my friendship, but all you do to do so is just criticize my friends and my activities."

"That's what WE have been trying to do too, Tommy!" Marie shouted. "Listen to yourself!"

"I AM! BUT LOOK AT ME, MARIE!" Thomas twirled around to look at her, a fanatical look gleaming in his eye. "LOOK AT WHAT THE GANG'S DONE TO ME! I'M A DIFFERENT, BETTER PERSON! I AM ABOUT TO GIVE EVERYTHING I'VE GOT TO ALL THAT HAVE WRONGED ME! ADAM, DANVILLE HIGH, THE ENTIRE SOCIAL ORDER-"

"YOU CALL YOURSELF A BETTER PERSON? YOU'RE ORDERING OTHERS TO START FIRES! THAT'S ILLEGAL!"

"SO WHAT?!" Thomas suddenly relaxed. "Sometimes, you just gotta fight fire with FIRE."

"That's not a good philosophy, Tommy-"

"**STOP CALLING ME TOMMY!** THE TIME TO CALL ME BY THAT RIDICULOUS NAME'S LONG GONE NOW, MARIE! IT'S TIME WE GREW UP! IF YOU REFUSE TO LISTEN TO ME, THEN I'LL REFUSE TO LISTEN TO YOU! FOR THE LAST TIME, WE'RE NOW **ENEMIES**!"

"Tommy, please- **AGH!**" Thomas had struck Marie across the face.

"You just don't know when to get it, do ya?" he spat. Ignoring Marie and Jazz's horrified looks, he walked away.

At that point, Marie burst into tears of sadness as Jazz knelt down to help her friend.

"_Tommy_..." she moaned.

* * *

From behind a clump of nearby bushes, Evan watched the entire argument transpire. Upon seeing Thomas hit Marie and walk away, he smiled maliciously.

"Ah, the sealing of the deal is always so delicious..." he whispered.

* * *

Upon reaching Danville High, Thomas stopped. He never looked back, but that didn't help his ears when they caught Marie's pained weeping. He wanted nothing more than to return back to Marie, apologize to her, comfort her... But he knew that such chances were extinguished like fire. It was too late for him and Marie now.

And besides...for the first time in his life, people actually LIKED him for the person he was... If he'd let go of them by doing one simple act that was out-of-line to them, then he'd lose them, and Thomas definitely didn't want that to happen. So, he had to stay in-character all the time now, to maintain his friends and popularity.

He and Marie were officially done with.

* * *

**Next Episode Summary:** Mr. Blake assigns his class with a project: how to raise a baby. Students are grouped in pairs (couples, if you will), forced upon with a robotic baby simulator, and must raise it like a real-life baby for an entire week. Marie is paired up with Steven, and Thomas is paired with Bridgette. What consequences will these groupings lead to?

* * *

**A/N:** This felt like a filler episode to me, to be honest. But I can't wait to write down the next episode; I have been anticipating this one since the start. I guarantee to you all that this will be an interesting episode with quite some nice turns.

I'd like to thank those who reviewed:

**Cute as a button22:** You'll see in the next chapter...

**damonika2009:** Like I said, you'll find out what happened to Dezz in the next chapter...

**14AmyChan:** You'll find out in the next chapter.

**random guy (guest reviewer):** Because I'm a psychopathic bastard! MWAHAHAHA! ...Nah, I'm just a sucker for cliffhangers. :D

**Da Darkest Knight:** No, not even remotely close. But it'll pave the way for something bigger... ;D ;D ;D

**humanusscriptor:** Indeed uh-oh!

**Deborahpflover:** You'll find- Well, you know what I'm gonna say. XD

I'm not really surprised I lost some of my usual reviewers. I DID update very late. Stupid Internet...

Well, hope you enjoyed this satisfyingly early chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!


	14. How to Raise a Robotic Baby, Part 1

**A/N:** I was planning on updating another one of my stories, but I was anticipating writing this episode so much it just couldn't wait! ENJOY!

**IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS:**

-Marie Flynn DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Angelus19 and sam-ely-ember.  
-Thomas Fletcher DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Melty19.  
-Jasmine Rai DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to sam-ely-ember and Melty19.  
-Bridgette Clark DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Orthgirl123, Angelus19, and sam-ely-ember.  
-The song "Music Sounds Better" DOES NOT belong to me! All claims of ownership fall to Big Time Rush and Mann.

* * *

**Episode 14: How to Raise a Robotic Baby, Part 1**

* * *

_**October 15, 2035**_

Steven rubbed his bruised eye, struggling not to cry. He was sitting on a bench near the cafeteria entrance, overhearing the conversations of other students, students who were obviously much happier and prosperous than him. They all had great lives, unlike him. They all found a reason to live, unlike him. They were all loved, unlike him. Even his friends in the Duster Rebel Gang...he was sometimes jealous of them. Their lives weren't as ratty compared to his...

He then stood up and quickly strode down the hallway, his trench-coat gliding slightly through the air as he did so. Walking into the nearby boys' bathroom, he looked into the grimy mirror as he removed his trench-coat. Not only was his eye bruised, but so was his cheek. Red finger-marks were also present on his neck, his lower lip was cut and coated with dried blood, and his nose was misshapen slightly. All of these wounds were rewards for his good behavior.

Earlier that morning, he had seen Adam holding strands of pink hair triumphantly, hairs that he identified as belonging to that girl who was Marie's friend, the one who just moved here from Seattle. Dezz, he believed the name was. Steven had become extremely enraged upon realizing what Adam had done, and he tried to attack his brother. He might as well been successful in overwhelming the athlete. It would've been an actual moment of glorious victory...

That is, if his father hadn't intervened and...and...

Images of rushing water flooded his mind. Steven shook his head and looked at the entrance of the bathroom, as two other students entered, laughing heartily, not having a care in the world. Steven's heartstrings were tugged uncomfortably by their happiness.

When the students entered separate bathroom stalls, Steven took this time to leave. He was blinded by tears at this point.

As a result, he didn't see someone in front of him. A split-second later, Steven ran into him or her. He then stepped onto his trench-coat, which he was still holding, and fell to the floor, bringing the person he bumped into on top of him.

"HEY, WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING, BRO!" a familiar voice snapped.

Wiping his eyes, Steven looked into two spheres of deep-blue. He blinked in shock as Marie blushed in embarrassment, seconds before getting off of him. Another few seconds later, he found himself being lifted off the ground roughly by an enraged Adam.

"What do ya think you're doing, bumping into my girl like that?!" Adam snarled savagely. "Can't you watch where you're going?!"

"**ADAM**!" Jazz exclaimed, shocked by Adam's behavior. "Steven just bumped into Marie! There's no need to get angry at him for that!"

Adam's eyes widened, and then, he smiled an innocent smile with a true motivation that only Steven could discern. He released his brother, dusting his coat kindly.

"Sorry, bro," he said. "My bad. Day's not going so well for me." Adam emphasized the last statement with a serious look into Steven's eyes; he gulped nervously. "We will just be going now, thank you very much." He suddenly turned to Brad. "Hey, Brad, I forgot something back at my locker. Can you _get it_ for me?"

Recognizing the tone, Brad nodded, just as Adam took Marie's arm (Steven turned red at this) and walked away with Jazz and Bridgette, leaving Steven alone with the other athlete. Realizing what was happening, Steven braced himself with a blow somewhere in his body...

* * *

Marie sat between Adam and Bridgette, gossiping excitedly with the latter about her being approved by Ms. Mulligan into the school choir. It turned out that Bridgette was also approved into the choir, and they spent the first few minutes of Health class squealing girlishly as Adam rolled his eyes at Brad.

However, their celebration didn't last long.

"ALRIGHT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, LEMME HAVE YOUR ATTENTION!" barked Mr. Blake. The entire classroom fell silent and watched the teacher as he paced around the class, as if it were a military training exercise instead of an average high-school lecture. "Today is the start of your first Health project. Boy, get me the boxes!"

Everyone watched as Steven staggered down the class, carrying three heavy boxes that were all carrying something. Marie looked at the topmost box curiously and saw that a small arm made of shiny metal plating was hanging out of the open cover...

Steven set down the boxes on a table at the front of the class and then limped towards his desk, panting, obviously tired from carrying the weighty boxes. Adam, Brad, and Mike all snickered jeeringly at Steven's misfortune while Thomas gave his friend a pitiful expression. In the meantime, Mr. Blake approached one of the boxes and took out one of its contents: a life-sized robotic baby, its limbs hanging loosely like those of puppets. Everyone gaped at it in confusion.

"How to Raise a Robotic Baby," Mr. Blake explained. "This project will teach you what it is like to be parents to a newborn baby. That way, you'll know what's coming to you if any of you guys and girls knock each other up." Some students giggled at that remark. "Also, it should be a good preparatory trial for real parenthood.

"So, this is how it's gonna work, ladies and gentlemen, so listen up! We have a total of thirty students here, so that means I will sort you into fifteen pairs, 'couples' if I do say so myself. This is how we're gonna form the teams: I will randomly call up fifteen students. They will come over to a glass bowl that has strips of paper written with the names of everyone here. The first strip you take from the bowl will be your partner. If, for some freak-of-nature reason, you pick a strip that reads your name, then don't think you're off the hook. Put the damn strip back into the bowl and then pick another one.

"Once we have our fifteen pairs set up, you will get your babies, and for one full week, from today to next Monday, you two will be 'raising' that baby together. How to exactly raise these robotic babies, it's too complex for me to describe, and it'll take up the entire period. So, the babies will also be provided with an instruction manual. And because raising this baby is a full-time job, I make it mandatory that one person in each pair has to stay over at the other partner's house for the entire week. Do NOT take advantage of that to knock each other up."

Several students giggled again, and this time, Mr. Blake promptly shot them a stern glare, silencing them.

"Anyway, as I was saying, it's time to let the sorting begin. I shall randomly call fifteen students up here and get a strip of paper from this glass bowl." He gestured to the table, but found that the bowl wasn't sitting there. The Health teacher's eyes widened, and he glared at Steven, who was surprised.

"BOY! DIDN'T I TELL YOU TO GET THE GLASS BOWL AS WELL?!"

"N-N-_No_..." Steven whispered in response.

"THEN DON'T JUST SIT THERE LIKE A BLUNDERING IDIOT! GET IT NOW! WE DON'T HAVE ALL FREAKING PERIOD! GO, GO, GO, OR IT'S A HUNDRED PUSH-UPS FOR YOU!"

Steven quickly stood up and walked over to a drawer shelf that Mr. Blake had, as Evan, Brad, Mike, and a few other students giggled nastily at him; their giggling only became worse when he nearly tripped over in his haste. He quickly opened up the topmost drawer and retrieved a glass bowl; Steven then ran over towards the desk, set it down, and stumbled back into his seat without another word.

"Okay, everyone, you better listen up, 'cause I'm only calling out names once! Jessica Berry!"

After a couple of names were called out and the students picked their partners, Mr. Blake called out, "Thomas Fletcher!"

Thomas stood up, barely avoided the foot Adam stuck out, and walked over to the desk. He looked into the glass bowl, feeling torn over whether he wanted Steven to be his partner or not. So far, the couples they were picked out all consisted of one boy and one girl, and he knew he and Steven would be subjected to an amount of cruel teasing if they were partners in this project. But Steven was the only one in the classroom he could trust.

Wishing for the best, he stuck his hand into the bowl, grabbed the nearest strip, and read it.

His heart dropped. It read _'Bridgette Clark'_.

"Well, boy?" Mr. Blake asked.

"Bridgette Clark," Thomas replied, blushing with embarrassment.

A short, sharp BAM!abruptly resonated through the classroom. Everyone's heads turned towards Bridgette's desk, and found her with her head lying on the surface of the desk. An annoyed, frustrated moan escaped her lips. Thomas sighed, knowing that he couldn't blame her.

A couple more names were called up, during which Fred was partnered up with Jasmine, much to their surprise. Then, Mr. Blake called, "Marie Flynn!"

"Here we go!" Marie exclaimed optimistically as she stood from her desk and walked towards the bowl, secretly giving Adam a thumbs-up.

The redhead placed her hand in the bowl, fishing it around in the little sea of strips of paper. She laboriously tried to look at the names written on the strips as she did so, but Marie could only clearly see about a couple names. She desperately wanted to partner herself up with Adam; that way, the project would be easier. Plus, she, for some strange reason, wanted to see exactly how good of a parent Adam would be.

She finally spotted a strip of paper that read _'Blake'_. Without wasting any more time, she grabbed it and withdrew her hand from the bowl. Everyone's eyes were now on her as she straightened the strip out and read the name.

Her heart dropped as quickly as Thomas's did.

"So, who is it, Ms. Flynn?" Mr. Blake asked.

Marie blinked, unsure of what to say to the Health teacher. She felt tempted to lie, say in response "Adam Blake", but the words that came out of her mouth were, to her surprise, those of honesty. It was an honesty that she would look back on many years later, in wonder over what would've happened if she did anything different.

"Steven Blake."

As with Bridgette, Steven slammed his head on his desk in frustration and moaned angrily. Some students giggled jeeringly at him, while Thomas's eyes softened while looking at his friend. Bridgette gave Marie a pitiful look as well as the redhead returned to her desk.

Pretty soon, the rest of the fifteen students was called up, and then, Blake ordered them to pair up. Marie found herself walking to Steven's desk, with reluctance, of course, but also with a force guiding her movement. Though she found pity with Steven because of his short temper and, as she noticed today, his unpopularity, she still couldn't help but dislike him. After all, as far as she was concerned, it was him who dragged Thomas into the Gang and turned him into the anarchic troublemaker who slapped her in the face yesterday.

"Hey, Steven," she greeted kindly. "I guess we're a couple for the following week."

Saying that sentence made her blush, as did Steven. The red-haired boy then frowned, either with anger or pure embarrassment (Marie couldn't be sure about it), and made nervous, fidgety movements in his seat. She sat down in the desk in front of his, just as Mr. Blake began passing out the robotic babies to the pairs.

"Okay, couples, I'm passing out your robotic babies and all the supplies required for them!" he announced in his barking voice. "As I do so, you all have to pick which house you two will be stationing yourselves at!"

"Your house," Steven said before Marie could even open her mouth. "Your house."

Again, Marie blinked. She could understand why Steven wanted to stay at her house; she had been to the Blake house a few times now when she and Adam went on dates; the house was a tragic dump completely, devoid of any care and love. But there was something in Steven's voice that seemed to suggest there was another reason for him not recommending his own home.

Steven seemed to sense what Marie was thinking, since he repeated, with a lot more emphasis and determination, "YOUR HOUSE."

"Okay, okay!" Marie exclaimed. "My house it is. Ooh, here's the baby!"

She retrieved the robotic baby clutched in Mr. Blake's hand and examined it curiously. For a robot, it looked rather cute. It had a rather cheeky smile, a tuft of fake red hair that curled a little at the end, and beady eyes that shined with the light, making them look wet. It was dressed in a bright-pink shirt and diapers with sparkly fairy patterns. Clutched in its fat hand was a booklet, obviously the instruction manual.

"Cute thing, isn't it?" asked Marie.

"I...I guess..." Steven replied quietly.

Marie glared at him, unsatisfied with the response. She knew, just like Thomas knew, that it was gonna be a long week ahead of her.

* * *

As Marie met up with Steven, Thomas met up with Bridgette.

"Trust me," he said before Bridgette could speak, "I didn't want this either."

Bridgette frowned nastily and replied bossily, "Okay, Fletcher, since we're partners and I need a passing grade for the class, I'm gonna let you off easily." She leaned in close to Thomas, her eyes burning with seriousness. "But I swear to you, if you do anything, and I mean _anything_, to ensure that we flunk this project as horribly as the basketball team losing this season, then I guarantee that your life will be a living HELL. Capieche?"

Thomas frowned back at her, not liking the attitude she was imposing. "I'll do so," he replied coolly, "only if you admit to me that Adam Blake is a psychopathic bastard and that Marie doesn't deserve him AT ALL." He smirked at her triumphantly.

Bridgette's frown turned upside-down; her snobbish, triumphant smile pierced through Thomas's heart like a butcher knife, but he held his ground.

"That's out of the question, _Romeo_."

"Okay, couples, I'm passing out your robotic babies and all of the supplies required for them!" Mr. Blake announced in his barking voice. "As I do so, you all have to pick which house you two will be stationing yourselves at!"

"My house," Bridgette said at once, still smirking at Thomas. "There's absolutely NO DAMN WAY I'm gonna live in a dump that you call your house."

Thomas felt a strong need to strangle the blonde girl. However, he remembered that he still had a duty with the Gang to fulfill, so he merely flexed his fingers, just as Bridgette retrieved a robotic baby from Mr. Blake's hand. Like Marie's, it had a cheeky smile and wet-looking beady eyes, but its fake hair was colored black, and it was wearing a blue shirt and diapers with teddy-bear patterns.

Thomas looked at the baby for a bit, and briefly imagined that it was an actual baby, and that it was Marie, not Bridgette, holding it, laughing with happiness as she stared down at the newborn. She would then look at Thomas and say, "Our child..._our first child_..."

But then, Marie suddenly turned into Bridgette, who was smiling her snobbish smile.

Thomas shook his head and looked away as the blonde girl did who-knows-what on the robot. He instead stared at Marie and Steven. Marie was doting on the baby, while Steven watched on with boredom. Steven's eyes met his, and they seemed to mentally communicate the same thing.

_"We're doomed."_

* * *

Hours later, the school day ended. Steven walked alongside Marie down the hallway as she continued to dote on the baby, treating it as if it were an actual newborn. Though he had a bit of a bad spot with her, due to the fact that she still couldn't believe his claims about Adam, the red-haired teenager couldn't help but feel intrigued by Marie's maternal behavior that she was now imposing on a mere robot. It was a very curious feeling...

"Hey, dude."

Steven and Marie looked up and saw Thomas and Bridgette walking toward them. Thomas was holding his baby with one arm, unsurprisingly with some difficulty, while Bridgette chatted away nonstop on her cell phone, talking about something that Steven didn't want to pay attention to.

"Tommy!" Marie exclaimed in concern. "That's not how you properly hold a baby!"

"How the hell am I supposed to know that, Marie?!" snapped Thomas.

"Look at how I'm holding mine." She hoisted her baby a little to catch Thomas's attention as Steven watched. "Cradle it in your arms, or otherwise tuck it to your chest with both arms. Don't hold it with one hand. You might drop yours and it'll break its head!"

"It's just a robot-"

"Nevertheless, it's a class project, and do you wanna take this project seriously?"

"No. Bridgette here apparently does, though, and guess what she's doing right now?"

"I heard that!" snapped Bridgette angrily as she put away the phone and angrily snatched the baby from Thomas's hands. "Give that to me! Our first couple of hours as a couple and I'm already itching for wanting a divorce, if we were actually married!"

"I'd be wondering why we married in the first place!" Thomas shot back.

"Guys, stop fighting!" cried Marie. "You'll make your baby cry!"

But it was already too late. Thomas and Bridgette's baby, which had been activated already, began to issue a realistic-sounding wail. Sensing a negative disruption in its environment, Marie and Steven's baby also began to cry too. The two couples spent the next few minutes trying to soothe their robot babies as students watched curiously. By the time they had gotten into the parking lot, Marie was able to successfully calm hers down.

"There, there, it's okay," Marie cooed softly. "It's gonna be all right, Mommy's here..."

Thomas scoffed jeeringly at Marie's maternal behavior, but inwardly, he was in complete awe at how skilled the redhead was in being a mother. And little did he know it, but Steven was also feeling similar emotions. As for Bridgette, she continued to have a difficult time with her baby.

"Stop crying, stop crying, please!" she was saying as she tried bouncing the baby, only to make the crying even worse. "It's gonna be all right, Mom's got you..."

The scoff Thomas gave off was one of authenticity this time.

* * *

"Welcome, Steven!" exclaimed Phineas optimistically as Steven, Marie, and Isabella entered the kitchen, where he was writing a letter. "It's nice to have a son-in-law, even if it has to be for an entire week." He stood up and patted Steven on the shoulder as the teenage boy turned crimson with embarrassment.

"Spare me..." he spat bitterly as he walked out of the kitchen and into the family room. Phineas and Isabella watched him curiously.

"He's everything you described to me, honey," Isabella whispered to Marie, who sighed sadly in response as Steven turned on the television set and began watching a news channel, which was currently reporting on a new attack committed by an aptly-titled 'Tri-State Rapist'.

* * *

Thomas could not believe what was happening to him right now. He knew Bridgette was rich, information courteously learned from bragging from the teenage blonde girl. However, he didn't know that she was rich enough to afford a private limo, a couple of expensive cars reserved just for her when she got her driver's license, over a dozen butlers and maids, and, most of all, a three-story mansion with a large amount of property encircling it.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Clark," a butler greeted as Bridgette and Thomas stepped through the front door. The butler was middle-aged, with thinning black hair, a British-accented voice, and a stoic and formal look in his face. "I have received the message from your Health teacher about the project, and therefore, Thomas Fletcher can have access to the house for the following week, until next Monday."

"Good, butler," Bridgette replied as she flounced off. Thomas, who was holding the baby, looked at the butler curiously, and the butler looked back.

"Is there anything I could help you with, Mr. Fletcher?" the butler asked formally.

"No, thank you," Thomas replied modestly as he walked off in the direction Bridgette took.

* * *

The following evening, at the Flynn house, the family, plus Steven, was eating dinner at the table as Marie continued reading the manual for the baby devotedly.

"Okay," she said slowly, "the manual says that you feed the baby by lifting this baby-food jar and holding it near the sensor for no more, no less than three seconds. It should sense it, and it'll indicate that the baby has been fed properly."

She repeated the process to the last detail, and the baby responded with the sound of smacking lips and a gurgling coo. Marie giggled, as did Isabella, while Phineas watched on with interest, chuckling slightly. Steven, in the meantime, sighed and resumed eating.

"So," Phineas said, "Steven, tell us a little about yourself! We've been hearing some nasty details from Marie, and I think that you're a good person. Tell us something good about you. It can be anything, son, you don't need to hold back."

"Oh, something good about me?" asked Steven. He then replied, in a sarcastic tone, "Well, let's see, I'm the younger brother of a successful basketball player, I'm the youngest son of a former U.S. Army Major, he served in South Greece and China, I'm the person people look down on to make them feel better about themselves, and best of all, I am a complete nobody, a background character of a soap opera, if you will. That's what's good about me."

Phineas frowned with disappointment, as did Isabella. "That can't be it. There has to be something that you're actually proud of, Steven."

Steven grunted and continued eating. It was silent in the kitchen as the family continued eating. Finally, Isabella looked up at Steven, a question hitting her mind.

"What about your mom?"

Marie saw Steven's skin turn pale.

"What about her?" he asked calmly.

"You never mentioned your mother. You mentioned you have father and a sibling, but you never said anything about a mom. Do you have anything to say about her?"

Steven's skin was giving off a feverishly pearly glow. "I loved my mom," he replied coldly.

Isabella brightened up a little, glad that she found something good about Steven.

"Would you mind telling us about her?" she asked.

"Yeah. One thing about her is that, well, she's dead."

Steven stated it calmly, as if his mother's death were a daily topic of discussion, but his skin was still pale. His hand was trembling slightly, his lips were pursed, and his eyes were glimmering. Phineas and Isabella also noticed Steven's current mood.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Isabella replied. "We'll...We'll just drop the topic now..."

* * *

After 'feeding' his baby with the baby-food jar, Thomas examined the rest of his company as they all sat at an oblong table. There was Bridgette and her parents; Mr. Clark was a tall, stern-looking man with graying black hair at the temples and light-blue eyes identical to that of Bridgette's; Mrs. Clark was a kindly woman who looked exactly like her daughter, except for her eyes, which were colored hazel. There were also the butlers and maids, all of whom were always sitting for only a brief period of time at the table, but having to depart to attend to their duties. He noticed that the butlers and maids all seem to be led by the one with the British accent who was at the door, whose name he learned to be an apt 'Butler'.

"Thanks, Butler," Mr. Clark said as the butler gave him a plate of beef, shrimp, and rice.

"My pleasure, Mr. Clark," replied Butler. "Bon appétit." He then departed back to the kitchen.

As Mr. Clark began eating his dish, Mrs. Clark looked at Thomas as Bridgette continued to text endlessly on her cell phone.

"So, Thomas," she said, "since we're gonna be seeing you in this house for the next week, would you mind telling us anything about yourself?"

"He's a member of the Duster Rebel Gang, Mom," Bridgette suddenly said, looking up from her phone. "They're bad news, and so is he."

"Nonsense!" Mrs. Clark exclaimed. "Surely your teacher wouldn't wanna pit us with someone who is, as you say, honey, 'bad news'." Thomas rolled his eyes, scoffing to himself, just as Mr. Clark suddenly glared at his wife with an admonishing expression.

"Yeah, says the woman who said that the carpenter would be coming last week when it turns out he's coming _next month_," he spat bitterly. Mrs. Clark's face suddenly turned into a shade of scarlet, and Thomas noticed Bridgette shrinking in her seat.

"Excuse me, _honey_," replied Mrs. Clark sourly, "I wasn't the one who scheduled an appointment with the carpenter! How come we're talking about it, anyway?! I was just asking Thomas here if there was anything about himself that he could tell us-"

Mr. Clark's eyes widened suddenly, and he cut off his wife, snarling menacingly, "Don't you DARE talk back to me! I'm the man of the house, and I say what goes here!"

Thomas blinked and looked at Bridgette, who had stood up from her chair and left. Now intrigued, he took his baby and followed her. The two entered a living room; it was there that Thomas found the blonde girl collapsing on a sofa, struggling to hold back tears.

"You okay?" he asked in concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine!" snapped Bridgette in response, having apparently registered his presence just now. She stood up and walked out of the room, fuming, her face red and her eyes glimmering. "Since when did you care anyway, Fletcher? Leave me alone!"

Thomas watched her go, his expression softening.

* * *

_**October 16, 2035**_

It was during the early morning hours, and the sun hadn't even risen yet. Marie was lying on her bed, fully awake and looking up at the ceiling. Safely tucked in a crate that she and Steven built using the supplies given by Mr. Blake, was her baby. It was currently her shift to lie awake and take care of the baby if it started wailing.

The redhead looked down at the side of her bed and saw Steven sleeping peacefully on the floor, tucked in a sleeping bag she loaned to him. It was a bit of a comical sight, seeing a teenage boy sleeping in a small, hot-pink sleeping bag with patterns of platypuses and rainbows. Marie couldn't help but smile slightly as he let out a quick and single snore and then turned over on his side.

Just then, Marie heard the baby moan. Realizing what was coming next, she stood from her bed and took her baby in her arms, just as it began to cry.

"Shhh, shhh, it's okay, sweetie, it's okay," she cooed as the baby continued to wail. "Mommy's got you, everything's gonna be okay."

However, the baby continued to cry. Biting her lip, Marie began to think back to her childhood, to all of the times Isabella took care of her. Fondly remembering all those times whenever her mother sung her a lullaby, the redheaded girl began to sing softly.

_Better with you,_  
_Better with you, yeah..._

_I try to write this down_  
_The words just don't come out_  
_It's hard to say how you feel_  
_Been down the longest road_  
_Said yes when I meant no_  
_I lost control of the wheel_

_Cause you know that_  
_Things get so bad,_  
_You've got my back_  
_Make me wanna sing,_  
_And girl I'm singing about you_

_No sweeter sound_  
_Than what I've found_  
_No perfect love_  
_Could be more perfect than us_

_Ooh baby it feels like, it feels like_  
_The music sounds better with you baby_  
_It feels right, it feels right_  
_Everything's better with you_

_I used to think that love_  
_Was something fools made up_  
_Cause all I knew was heart break_  
_Woah I couldn't help myself,_  
_Let this heart go through hell_  
_There only so much a heart can take_

_Cause you know that_  
_Things get so bad,_  
_You've got my back_  
_Make me wanna sing,_  
_And girl I'm singing about you_

_No sweeter sound_  
_Than what I've found_  
_No perfect love_  
_Could be more perfect than us_

_Ooh baby it feels like, it feels like_  
_The music sounds better with you baby_  
_It feels right, it feels right_  
_Everything's better with you_

_Every song_  
_Every rhyme_  
_Every word_  
_Everyday_  
_All of the time_  
_Every way_  
_Music sounds better with you._

_She's my music enhancer_  
_When the music plays, she's my dancer_  
_When I'm around her everything's faster_  
_Every question I have, she's the answer_  
_I'm head over heels_  
_Can't explain it, it's so surreal_  
_When I'm around you, baby, you make me feel like_

_Everything's better with you, oh, baby_  
_It feels like, it feels like_  
_The music sounds better with you, baby_  
_It feels right, it feels right_  
_Everything's better with you, oh, baby_  
_It feels like, it feels like_  
_The music sounds better with you, baby_  
_It feels right it feels right,_  
_Everything's better with you_  
_Music sounds better with you_  
_Music sounds better with you  
_

Marie smiled widely, having realized by the end of her lullaby that her baby had stopped crying and gone back to sleep. She gently placed it back in its crate, smiling at its form. She knew it was a robot, but she also knew that its cuteness already appealed to her, and now, she was feeling loving and protective over it.

"_Mom_..."

Marie gasped and looked around the room, startled by the sudden voice.

"Hello?" she called.

"Mom... Mom, where are we going?..."

Marie recognized the voice in an instant. She walked over to Steven, who was tossing and turning in his sleep, clutching his sleeping bag, as if for dear life.

"What about Dad and Adam?..." he moaned.

Marie was about to wake Steven from his sleep when she felt tempted to listen to him as he continued to talk in his sleep. This could be the thing she needed to learn about his mother, whom he didn't seem comfortable in talking about. She sat beside Steven, watching him intently as he continued talking.

"Okay, Mom... Okay, Mom... Okay, Mom..."

Then, he fell silent. After several minutes passed, Marie knew that she wasn't gonna hear anything else. She prepared to stand up and go back to sleep when...

"I love you too, M- **AAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!**"

Marie screamed as Steven suddenly sat up and clutched her bed-sheets, but he was obviously still asleep. Then, he abruptly grunted, and then, he started gasping.

"Oh no, Mom, we're gonna die! I don't wanna die!" He began crying, and Marie wondered if she should wake him up now.

Then, his gasping became more constricted, as if his lungs and mouth were filling up with something; he was choking. Steven began violently coughing, and his arms suddenly flailed about; Marie was nearly hit. She scrambled away as Steven fell back to the floor and crawled out of the sleeping bag. He was slightly convulsing, his limbs flailing, spit flying out of his mouth now as the coughing became worse. He made some other noises, as if he were attempting to speak. Occasionally, he gasped, letting in a breath of air. Having enough, Marie scrambled back to Steven and began shaking him.

"STEVEN, WAKE UP!" she shrieked hysterically. "**WAKE UP**!"

Steven gasped again, and moaned, "Mom, I'm not leaving you! Not again! MOM!"

Now, the robotic baby began to cry, but Marie didn't notice. She was trying desperately to wake Steven up, now feeling bad that she didn't do anything earlier.

"MOM! MOM! **MOM!**"

"STEVEN, IT'S JUST A DREAM! WAKE UP, PLEASE!"

Steven's crying became worse, as did his coughing and gasping. "**MOM, NNNNNOOOOO!** **_MOM_!**"

Marie began to cry as well. She actually began to fear that Steven might suffer some sort of heart attack or something and die in front of her.

"STEVEN, WAKE UP, WAKE UP! **WAKE UP!**"

Steven's abruptly jerked open, and a split-second later, Marie was now gagging, struggling for breath as she tried unsuccessfully to pry the fingers that were clenched around her neck so tightly that they threatened to crush her windpipe.

"S-_Steven_..." she moaned, feeling the world disappear all around her...

She didn't think it'd end this way. She was getting murdered by someone she was trying to help...

Then, Steven gasped in horror and released her almost immediately. Marie drew in a rattling, gasping breath of relief as her lungs desperately absorbed the oxygen, as her heart hammered loudly against her sternum. She then collapsed to the floor, panting and coughing violently, the feeling of Steven's fingers around her neck still present. The baby was still crying its robotic lungs out...

The bedroom door swung open, and Phineas and Isabella entered the room, both holding Baseball Launchers.

"What's going on here?!" Phineas demanded. He then spotted Marie lying on the floor and gasped, while Isabella screamed. "**MARIE!**" The inventor ran toward Marie's side, knelt down, and lifted Marie's head onto his lap; her breathing had become less laborious now. "Marie, what happened to you? What's going on?"

The sound of crying broke the air, and it didn't belong to that of the baby. Phineas and Isabella's heads turned toward Steven, who was sitting against a drawer in a fetal position, looking like a broken, pained, frightened baby animal.

"It was me," he sobbed. "I-I'm so _sorry_..."

Phineas's eyes widened, and his nostrils flared. Marie realized that her father was about to become angry at Steven, an extremely rare occasion that she didn't want to see. She quickly clutched his shirt and held onto it tightly.

"Daddy, it's okay," she croaked. "Steven was having a nightmare. I woke him up, but he thought he was still dreaming and attacked me. It's okay, Daddy..."

Phineas looked at Marie, and she looked back at him with the most honest look she could muster. Finally, he nodded.

"Okay, Marie," he replied. "I believe you." He then glared at Steven suspiciously. "But still, if he's attacking you while thinking he was dreaming, then I don't think I can trust him being in the same room with you, Marie. I think we're gonna need a new room for Steven..."

Steven sniffled, looking down at the floor in shame. Marie looked at him, intrigued over what kind of dream he just had...

* * *

**Next Episode Summary:** As the week of the Health project passes, Marie and Thomas become closer to Steven and Bridgette, respectively, as they learn their closely-guarded secrets about their personal lives. Meanwhile, Ferb and Vanessa receive something in the mail...

* * *

**A/N:** Longest episode so far! That's how devoted I am to writing down this episode. And I guarantee you that the next episode will be longer than this one. :D

I'd like to thank the following for reviewing:

**iheartphinabella05:** Actually, you have seven words in your review box, so you DO have words. :P

**Guest reviewer:** Okay. I'm not sure if you're serious or if you're just pulling my leg... *clutches leg in concern*

**damonika2009:** Yes, it'll take a while. But I guarantee you that Adam is GOING DOWN! :D

**Yarthayaj'knaushtavdhladleklwa:** Like last time, I'm not sure if I should take this seriously or not... *clutches leg again*

**Cute as a button22:** Don't worry. That situation will be remedied soon.

**Axis22:** It's okay if you're late. Take your time! Anyway... Danny's an actual ghost, that was the creator's intention. Yes, Marie needs Thomas. HA! The Gang commits a crap-load of arson felonies, and you STILL root for them, lol! Oh wait, now you kinda don't. Evan's not the one who has history with one of the girls. That's Z. No, Adam is gonna be exposed at around Episode 25 or 26; I'm still at the planning stages for that.

**Monkey Lover 911 (guest reviewer):** Well, Dezz isn't actually in Health in fourth period, she's in English. But yes, Fred is paired up with Jazz. It won't do much, but I will mention it a couple of times in the next episode. And you'll see if the couples act like real parents...

**humanusscriptor:** XD

**Da Darkest Knight:** Yes, I'd say that. In fact, it DOES confuse me sometimes. Up to the point where I refer to Evan as Adam at first before realizing what I did. XD

**Deborahpflover:** YAY, I DIDN'T LOSE YOU! Yes, Thomas is acting differently. Popularity's getting to him, like it did to Marie. And it's gonna become worse... ;) ;) ;)

**14AmyChan:** Uh-oh, I made you cry! Oh, no! XD Yes, I'm sadistic. It's sad.

Well, hope you enjoyed this chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!


	15. How to Raise a Robotic Baby, Part 2

**IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS:**

-Marie Flynn DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Angelus19 and sam-ely-ember.  
-Thomas Fletcher DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Melty19.  
-Jasmine Rai DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to sam-ely-ember and Melty19.  
-Bridgette Clark DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Orthgirl123, Angelus19, and sam-ely-ember.

* * *

**Episode 15: How to Raise a Robotic Baby, Part 2**

* * *

**_October 18, 2035_**

_The young, blond boy with the jubilant face and the kindly redheaded woman stood at the end of the pier, hand in hand, their eyes closed as they allowed the nice, cold breeze blow against their faces. The ocean was still and calm, and a flock of seagulls flew overhead. A bank of mammatus clouds hung over the pier, and bright rays of sunlight were breaking through the clouds, slowly illuminating said pier in its warm, golden light._

_The boy looked at his mother, and she looked back at him. They both smiled lovingly at each other._

Steven opened his eyes and watched silently as Marie continued to dote on the robotic baby, smiling and giggling with pleasure every moment the baby laughed. He exhaled deeply, feeling an odd emotion filling him up from the inside, and he couldn't seem to identify it. There was one thing he knew about it, however: it wasn't his usual emotion of anger, or loathing, or even sadness. It was quite a strange feeling, and it felt as if this wasn't the first time he had this feeling.

After he nearly strangled Marie to death during the early morning hours of Tuesday, all because he was under the influence of a nightmare he had been having, Steven was forced to sleep in the guestroom out of Marie's own safety. Since then, he had kept a good distance from himself and her, usually observing her as she took care of their baby, only pitching in whenever she requested his assistance. He seldom addressed the Flynn family, and Marie, Phineas, and Isabella now knew better than to try and ask any questions concerning his personal life again.

He sighed, feeling all contented feelings draining away from him and being replaced with sadness. The red-haired boy stood up and left the kitchen he and Marie were in. Walking into the bathroom and closing the door, he looked through the strands of hair that were dangling loosely over his eyes, and stared at his reflection in the nice, clean mirror. After a few minutes of silence, Steven lifted the strands and looked at the reflection of his eyes; they were a deep-blue, ironically the color of water, the only other thing in the world aside from his father and brother that he was afraid of.

"Steven?"

Isabella's voice startled Steven, nearly causing him to fall over. He cleared his throat and replied, "Y-Yeah?"

"It's almost time to go to school. Have you prepared your stuff?"

"Yeah," Steven said, lowering his hair over his eyes as he opened the door. He faced Isabella with the blue eyes she couldn't see. "Yeah, I'm ready."

"Okay. Let's get going, then."

Steven quickly retrieved his backpack from the kitchen and then followed Isabella towards the garage, where he found Marie waiting for them, still holding their baby. They got into Isabella's hovermobile; she started the engine, opened the garage, backed out onto the street, and then flew off into the air.

* * *

Bridgette examined herself in the mirror, her head tilted slightly to one side. She flashed a tiny smile of pride at her reflection, admiring the fact that she kept her body in good shape, worthy enough to attract any boy's attention. For good measure, she faced her body towards the wall, still looking at the reflection; she was inspecting the size of her chest compared to the rest of her body. She smiled slightly again, satisfied with the results she concluded.

Then, she frowned. Truth be told, she never really _liked_ this part of the morning, where she had to look at herself in the mirror and see if she looked good enough for school. Every time the blonde teenager looked at her reflection, she only saw...a different person. Someone that was _not_ her. Sure, she could stop this, here and now, put an end to that madness, but Bridgette thought of all the friends that would abandon her as a result. As a child, she never had any friends and only a vast array of bullies; no one liked her, despite the fact that she belonged to one of the richest families in the Tri-State Area. At least, that was in private school.

Bridgette was transferred to a public middle school during the sixth grade since her loneliness and the bullies were causing her to become a shy, withdrawn girl. It was there where she met Sasha and Rosa, a couple of seventh-graders who befriended her and taught her the ropes of understanding the emotions of students that were of a lower class than her. But that involved becoming someone she would rather not be, someone who was concerned with crooning over snobbish teenage boy idols, wearing revealing clothes, and looking down on others who didn't really deserve it.

The blonde sighed. It was tragically ironic. She recognized a long time ago she had become just like those who picked on her as a child. All for the sake of popularity...

"Brid, honey!"

"Yes, Mom?" replied Bridgette, still looking at herself in the mirror.

"It's almost time to go to school. Have you prepared your stuff?"

"Yeah." Bridgette forced on a smile and went up to her bedroom door, opening it and being greeted with her mother's radiant face. "Yeah, I'm ready. Let's go."

Mrs. Clark smiled lovingly at her and escorted her out of the bedroom. The two walked down the stairs and entered the kitchen, where Bridgette found Thomas holding their baby as he sat at the kitchen table. Putting on her 'disguise', she frowned nastily at him before gathering her backpack and following them out of her house.

* * *

Marie felt as if half of the day went by really fast. For her, it didn't take long for lunchtime to begin. She presumed that it was because of all the attention that she was giving to her baby. The redhead couldn't help it. For a robot, it was SO adorable, and her protective nature over it was at an all-time high, especially since she now was in the school cafeteria, where the most unpredictable of things were bound to occur.

Right now, the baby was gurgling with jubilant happiness as she fed it its 'baby food'. She was sitting at the popular table, which was also occupied by Fred and Jazz, Adam and Sasha, Brad and Rosa, and Bridgette, all of whom were holding their babies. By her side was Steven, who was eating his lunch in silence.

"So, what's it like having Steven for your husband, babe?" asked Adam, smiling sweetly.

"Good, I guess," Marie replied, watching at the corner of her eye as Steven clenched his fists. "But he's been very helpful."

"Huh. Why is it that I'm surprised?"

Marie could now see Steven's skin turning pale. She looked at Adam angrily.

"Come on, Adam, don't insult him," she said defensively. "He's a good person." Now, Marie saw Steven's skin return to its normal color, and his fists relaxing.

"Sorry, babe!" Adam replied, surprised by her reaction. "It's just-"

"Just what?"

"Never mind..." Adam watched as Marie continued to feed her baby devotedly. "You've really taken a shine to that little guy, have you?"

"Yes, yes I have. And it's a girl."

"What, really? How can you tell?"

"The color of its clothes, and its diaper, stupid." Marie giggled at her boyfriend and looked Steven, smiling. "Steven, we should probably name her. I'd rather not leave her nameless, even if it's just a robot. What do you think we should name the baby?"

"I don't know," he replied in a whisper. "You decide."

"Come on, I think it's the duty of both parents to name their baby."

Upon hearing that comment, Steven blushed and pursed his lips. Before the situation could become more awkward, Thomas entered the scene, holding a tray of food.

"Hey, Steven," he greeted. Thomas then stared at the others, save Fred, with an expression of pure loathing. "Hey, _populars_."

He sat down next to Bridgette, who inched herself away from him as she held their baby almost protectively. Adam smiled innocently at him.

"So, Thomas," said the athlete, "how's it going, being Bridgette's husband and all?"

"He/She is not my husband/wife," Thomas and Bridgette replied simultaneously, blushing furiously.

Marie giggled and said jokingly, "You guys saying it like it is makes me think otherwise..."

"Shut up, _popular_," snarled Thomas, alarming Marie with his nasty tone.

"Come on, man, she's just pulling your leg."

Thomas glared at Steven, shocked by his sudden statement of defense. He frowned and stood up from the table.

"Steven, can I talk to you? In private?"

Steven blinked in confusion. Then, he nodded curtly and stood up, following Thomas toward a corner of the cafeteria. Everyone, including Marie, watched them go.

"What's up with them?" she asked.

"No idea," Jazz replied, "but what's more interesting is that Steven seemed to _defend_ you, Marie..."

Everyone's heads turned to Marie, and she blushed with embarrassment. Not wanting to get caught up in the subject, she stood up and left.

* * *

"What the hell was that, man?" Thomas demanded as he and Steven approached the corner of the cafeteria, where few students were present. He crossed his arms and looked at Steven with a mingled look of confusion and rising fury. "You're now defending a _popular_?"

"She's your friend, man," replied Steven defiantly. "And...I think she's nice..." He was blushing now.

"Nice? _Nice_? NICE?!" Thomas stamped his foot on the floor angrily. "So, you call the person who ditched me in favor for the popular crowd, whose members pick on us daily and treat us like we're the most loathed of trash, _freaking NICE_?! ...What the hell's WRONG with you?!"

"What the hell's wrong with _me_? What's wrong with YOU?"

Thomas's eyes widened. "You DARE?-"

"Yes, I dare. ...Ever since Evan hired you as the Gang's so-called 'recruiter' you've been _really_ distant with me. We're not able to hang out anymore! You're probably the first friend I've had in such a while, but now, you ditch me in favor for getting more friends through recruiting them to the Gang! ...You're not as bad as Marie..."

Thomas clenched his teeth, and he pointed at Steven accusingly. "Don't you DARE compare me to that popular, Steven. I gave her loads of chances, but she repays me by continuing to date that _piece of trash_. And now you're defending _her_?"

"Wasn't that the point of it the entire time?" asked Steven. "Defending her from him? Wasn't it? If so, can't we do it _together_, instead of getting ourselves torn apart?!"

"We ARE doing it together! We're in this TOGETHER. But sometimes, there comes a time where the person you care for has crossed a line even with you. Marie did that exact thing, and now, I cannot say I am defending her anymore. It's time I waged war against her as well, in order to save her from herself! Sometimes, that's the only logical path to take when it comes to saving your friends from the forces that have embroiled them in their fuck. You should recognize that."

Steven's jaw was slightly ajar. He couldn't believe what he was hearing from him. Now that he was looking at Thomas, he could just imagine Evan's voice issuing from the mouth that belonged to his friend...his _brother_. Realizing that Thomas had succumbed to Evan's will, he frowned defiantly at him.

"Yes, I recognize that," he said. "And I guess the only logical path I can take now is to wage war against YOU."

"WHAT?!" yelled Thomas.

"That's what you said, man. I've gotta wage war against you to save you from yourself! Thomas, you should listen to yourself; you sound just like Evan. ...So, tell Evan I quit from the Gang. I'm now a rogue. Goodbye, _bro_. It's been nice knowing you."

And with that, he walked away, leaving behind a shocked Thomas.

Thomas nor Steven didn't know that Marie had been secretly watching them.

* * *

_**Later that day**_

Steven sat in the living room of the Flynn house, unsure if he did the right thing or not. Thomas was his best friend, a brother to him, and he threw him away without a care in the world, just like Marie did. But...he had _changed_. He was now talking of overthrowing the school order, bringing chaos to the Tri-State Area, and promoting an anarchic society to the world. He sounded just like Evan, the anarchist who had no other concern.

Then again...abandoning Thomas as a friend meant that he was now all alone again. Thomas was not only his best friend, he was his _only friend_. Ever since his mother died, he had distanced himself from his friends, all of whom eventually moved on and did not bother to talk to him again since, by that time, Steven was now classified as a member of the loser crowd, who shouldn't be socializing with anyone.

_"Thanks, man."_

_"You're welcome."_

_"So, the name's Tommy?"_

_"Actually, it's Thomas. I don't like being called Tommy."_

_"Huh. People call me Stevie, but I don't like that name. I prefer Steven instead."_

The red-haired boy tried to hold back tears, but it was difficult. Pretty soon, the sadness overwhelmed him, and he burst into tears.

"Steven?" came the familiar, warm voice.

"Go away, Marie," replied Steven between sobs.

"No, I won't." Steven felt Marie sit beside him on the sofa. "Steven...I heard you and Thomas back at the cafeteria. I heard it all."

Steven looked at Marie, who cringed a little at his red eyes, his wet and puffy cheeks, his quivering lip.

"You should know better than to eavesdrop," he snapped quietly.

"But I'm glad I did. I...I'm glad you did it because you're defending me, but I think you're hurting Tommy by doing so."

"What makes you think I'm hurting him? You heard him back there."

"I know, I did. But I think that, even deep down, Thomas wants your friendship. I don't think he's ever told you this, but he doesn't have any friends."

Steven scoffed, his weeping subsiding. "Oh, he does. He's got the entire Gang watching his damn back."

"No, I mean he doesn't have any friends that he wants because they _are_ his friends. See, back to when we were children, Tommy's only friends were me, Jazz, Xavier, Fred, and Dezz, but only because he didn't have any other friends. No one wanted to socialize with him; they only knew him because he was with me. Then, you came along, Steven. I can remember him telling his parents that he finally had a friend that he actually _wanted_." She smiled fondly at the memories. "And believe me, I'm glad you're his friend, Steven. Together, you two might as well be brothers."

Steven smiled at that statement. "We _are_ brothers," he said confidently.

"Then act like a brother and go apologize to him."

The teenager frowned and looked at Marie. "I will if _you_ apologize to him too, for what you've done to him. Don't argue, you've hurt his feelings too."

Marie nodded. "If it means it'll get you two back on track, then I'll do it. As long as you two don't go all hating on Adam ever again."

Steven bit his lip angrily, knowing that the deal was too unsatisfactory of a compromise. However, he knew that if he went along with the deal, then at least Marie and Thomas could reconcile at last. So, he nodded reluctantly. Marie smiled and hugged him, much to his surprise.

"Thanks, Steven," she said.

Adjusting to the hug, Steven smiled and hugged her back. "You're welcome, Mom."

Marie instantly broke the hug and looked at Steven's eyes; there seemed to be a brief flash of some strange emotion on them.

"_Mom_?" she repeated.

Steven blinked, realizing his mistake. "Oh, I'm sorry," he replied.

"No, it's okay."

The living room was awkwardly silent for several minutes. The only noises that were present in the house was the distant blaring of the TV set as Isabella watched a soap opera, and Marie and Steven's robotic baby making cooing noises as it slept in the nearby crib. Finally, Marie spoke again.

"Steven, can I ask you something?"

"Does it look like I have a choice?"

Marie took a deep breath, bracing herself for what was to come, and asked, "What...What happened to your mom?"

Again, it was silent. Steven blinked, looking at Marie with an expressionless face. The only significant reaction he seemed to make was the glimmer in his eyes.

"I don't wanna tell you," he replied.

"Steven," Marie said, touching his hand, "it's obvious that you never opened up about this. Maybe if you do, it can solve your problem-"

"I don't have a problem, Marie!" interrupted Steven, now angry again as he tore his hand away from hers. "Why can't you leave me alone on that topic?"

"Steven, I'm sorry-"

It was too late. Steven stood up, walked to the front door, grabbed the nearby key, unlocked the door, opened it, and left the house as Marie watched.

* * *

Thomas sat on the bed of the guestroom, his face buried in his palms as he sobbed. He never meant for the argument to happen. It just..._happened_. He had let his fury at Marie, fury directed at her for abandoning him for Adam, take control of him, direct his actions and his decisions. And now, Steven was no longer his good friend. He didn't know it, but Thomas shared the same feelings Steven had about their friendship: they were their first real friends, almost brothers.

He knew Steven was right. He was just like Marie now, abandoning his friend in favor of many more, in favor of _popularity_...

"It's not fair," he moaned to himself. "Why is it that whatever I want brings consequences for me? I want Marie to love me, but she rejects me for someone who is just a part of the popular crowd! I want popularity of my own, but I let go of the only friend I had left! It fucking SUCKS! Why, _why_, WHY?!"

He fell silent, as if he were waiting for someone to respond. But no one did.

Thomas looked up at the ceiling, sighing, tears still flowing down his cheeks. The teenage boy then stood up, wiped his face, and approached the mirror, staring at his reflection softly. Sighing again, he walked out of the guestroom and prepared to go downstairs, where he expected Bridgette to be, holding their baby.

He passed Bridgette's bedroom and heard a voice permeate from it.

"I am popular, this is who I am. I cannot put doubt on it."

Identifying the voice as Bridgette's, Thomas approached the closed door and leaned his ear against it, intrigued by her strange tone.

"This is who you are, Bridgette," she continued, obviously talking to herself. The footsteps Thomas was hearing suggested that Bridgette was pacing around. "Do not think for a second that this is just a disguise, a ploy to get yourself a large crowd of friends who'll hang onto your every word!" A brief silence hung inside the bedroom. "Oh, who am I kidding?! This isn't who I am! This isn't who I intended to become! God, if only I socialized more in private school..."

She suddenly gasped in surprise and horror. "No! No, no, no! You just doubted yourself, Bridgette! You're the person everyone wants to be, the person YOU wanted to be! You've got lots of friends! You're pretty, with a nice body! Everyone at Danville High knows your name! You're part of the school choir and the soccer team, and you are thinking of trying out to become a cheerleader alongside Sasha and Rosa! This is EVERYTHING you wanted!"

"No, it's not." The words came out of Thomas's mouth before he could even stop himself. He slapped himself in the forehead as he heard the footsteps stop.

"What the?" Bridgette exclaimed. "Oh, goddamn it, Fletcher! What're YOU doing out there?!"

"You were talking a little too loudly, just so you know." Thomas intended to use a jeering tone, but it was conspicuously absent.

Pretty soon, the bedroom door swung open, revealing Bridgette. To Thomas's surprise, she wasn't wearing the shirt that showed off her abdomen, or the tight jeans. Instead, she was wearing a plain white tank-top and pink shorts. He blinked, feeling a heat rise up in his cheeks. Though the clothes weren't slutty at all, the plainness of them actually seemed to bring out the best of a beauty that he never recognized...

Bridgette blushed back briefly before giving Thomas a reprimanding expression, obviously an attempt to regain her snobbish personality.

"You should know better than to eavesdrop, Fletcher," she said jeeringly. "Didn't your parents ever teach you that?"

Thomas frowned. "Cut the act, Bridgette. I overheard EVERYTHING. I know you have doubts about being a popular."

"I prefer you do not use that term."

"Would you use that term against your so-called friends, if you had the chance?"

Bridgette blinked in confusion, and she opened her mouth in an attempt to say something, only to close it after a second. She repeated the process a few more times, comically resembling a fish out of a body of water. Thomas crossed his arms, unable to help it when he smirked in triumph.

Finally, the blonde sighed. "Okay, you win, Fletcher," she replied. "Everything you heard was...was _correct_." Bridgette let out a frustrated sigh. "Ever since I met Sasha and Rosa, they taught me these expectations to get a lot of friends. That involved looking too good for anyone's good and bullying people who seem lower than me. It was enjoyable at first, but...I soon knew that this isn't who I am. But...But what's the point of speaking out against it, if it means losing all of your friends?"

"The point is that you are doing something right," said Thomas. "Do you have any idea about what kind of torture you gave me and Steven, emotional torture?"

"I've always felt bad afterwards, I'll admit." Bridgette looked down at the ground shamefully. "I-I'm really sorry, Fle..._Thomas_."

It was Thomas's turn to blink in confusion; he wasn't used to her using his first name. However, he got over it quickly.

"Apology accepted. ...If you hate what you're doing, why not just speak out for the benefit of those you've been picking on?"

"Didn't you hear me?" Bridgette protested. "That would mean losing my friends!"

"They're not your friends if they condone that kind of attitude from you!"

"I know, but when we're not dealing with those matters, they're really nice! They listen to me! They laugh at me, in a good way! They praise me!" She sighed. "When I was in private school, at a younger age, no one really liked me. Students picked on me. I desperately wanted a friend, but they all rejected my attempts at friendliness. Plus, my home life wasn't really as great. You've seen my parents argue over even the most minor of things. Anyway, you have no idea how relieved I was when I met Sasha and Rosa upon transferring to public school! They were my ticket to a good social life!" She sighed again. "But of course you don't understand how I feel. You're gathering up a little army of troublemakers wearing ugly-looking trench-coats-"

"I understand how you feel," interrupted Thomas. When Bridgette looked at him curiously, he sighed and explained, "When I was younger, I also didn't have anyone I could call a friend outside of Marie and Jazz. Students only knew me because I was the so-called sidekick of the famous Marie Flynn, daughter of the world-renowned Phineas Flynn. Me being the son of the city mayor at the time didn't really help things one bit.

"The moment I joined up with the Gang, I felt exactly how you felt. For the first time in my life, I actually had friends who cared about me! Sure, they have morals that aren't quite agreeable, but that, and their leader aside, they're really cool guys. And I continued getting friends because I was recruiting them to join the Gang.

"But all of that popularity came with a price: I lost my best friends. Marie, Jazz...Steven... They hate me now because I have been acting like an ass and because I have been preoccupied with expanding the Gang's ranks. It makes me wanna scream, the stupidity of my actions."

"Oh," Bridgette replied, her expression softening. "I'm...I'm really sorry..."

Thomas shrugged and let out a hollow laugh. "The joys of high school, huh? It's like putting on a mask. You become something you don't wanna be. And as a result, it pushes away those that're closest to you, those who actually care."

"I hate my mask."

"Me too."

Bridgette smiled slightly. "I guess it's time we throw our masks away."

Thomas smiled back. "Sounds like a good plan."

The two stood there, looking at each other. Just then, the wails of their baby filled the air. Both sighed simultaneously.

"Shall we?" asked Thomas.

* * *

_**October 19, 2035**_

Marie's eyes forced themselves open, an unknown force having awakened her from her slumber. She looked at her clock, seeing that it was almost two in the morning.

Just then, the corner of her eye noticed a mass shifting. The redheaded girl nearly screamed, thinking that an intruder was in the house. But then, she recognized the fluttering of a long coat, and the sad sigh the person let out as he approached the crib, where her baby was sleeping contently.

_"Steven?"_ Marie asked in her mind. She remembered him returning, looking strangely calm, yet distant.

She watched as Steven looked into the crib. Though she could only see his silhouette, she, for some reason, could imagine his mouth twisting into a slight grin.

Then, he started to sing softly and quietly.

_My dear, listen to me closely  
Before the sandman takes you away  
For what I have to say to you  
Is what you are gonna need  
To fight the nightmares_

_Across the seas,  
Through the fires,  
Shielded by the metals  
Shrouded in the woods  
Inside the earth  
Is the place where love lies_

_"Wow,"_ Marie thought. _"Steven's a good singer. He should've tried out for the choir."_

_Love is eternal,  
Love is everlasting  
From the sprouting springs,  
To the blooming summers,  
____To the ripening borders,_  
To the withering falls,  
To the sleeping winters,  
And all over again  
Is where you can find love

_Look everywhere,  
See everything  
From east  
To south  
To west  
To north  
And to the center of it all  
Is where you can see love_

_Do not fear,  
Do not hate,  
Do not grieve  
For love is what can take you away  
And guide you through your dreams  
And leave you at eternal happiness_

_"Oh, Steven,"_ thought Marie, sitting up on her bed quietly, so she could have a better view of Steven singing into the crib.

_Now close your eyes  
And let the sandman take you away  
Just remember what I said to you  
Remember that it is what you need  
To fight the nightmares_

_Love is all you need  
Water, fire, metal, wood, earth  
Spring, summer, borders, fall, winter  
East, south, west, north, center  
Sprouting, blooming, ripening, withering, dormant  
It all makes up the circle of love_

_And the circle of love is where I await_

Steven concluded his song, and Marie watched him reach into the crib to stroke the baby; she could hear it coo. Smiling, the girl prepared to quietly get back into bed.

"You can't fool me, Marie," said Steven suddenly. "I knew you were awake the entire time."

Marie sighed in defeat and activated her lamp, illuminating the entire bedroom, including Steven, with light.

"What-What're you doing here, and up so early?"

Steven pursed his lips. It was silent for a moment, and Marie knew he wasn't going to answer that question.

But he did. "I had a nightmare. ...The same one."

Marie's eyes softened. "Oh. I'm sorry, Steven."

He shrugged. "No, no, there's nothing to be sorry about, Marie. If there's anyone who needs to feel sorrow, it's me. I-I've been really rude to you. I've always pushed you away whenever you tried helping me. And for that, I'm really, really, _really_ sorry."

Marie smiled warmly. "It's okay, Steven. I understand if you don't wanna share certain details. In fact, I myself am sorry too. I tried prying into your personal life in an attempt to help you. That probably wasn't the wisest decision to make."

"Damn right it wasn't wise." But Steven was smiling slightly. He sat down on the bed, and Marie sat up and edged herself beside him.

"So," she said, "is there a reason you came here, other than to come and sing a lullaby to the baby?"

Steven was silent for a moment. However, Marie knew what was gonna come next.

"When I was a child," he began, "my mom was the only one in the world who ever understood me. From the very start of my life, she loved me, cherished me, told me that I was the only thing in the world she'd ever live for, and that nothing could change that. My dad or Adam could've said that to me, but they were always busy with other things. They didn't care about me. But my mom did, she always did.

"Our favorite activity to do was going to the local pier, especially after a thunderstorm. That was when you can see the mammatus clouds that were leftovers of the big bad storm." He smiled as he fondly reminisced. "You should've seen them. They were always beautiful. It'd be a marvel to look at, especially if you're standing on at the end of the pier, with the water rushing, and the sun breaking through the clouds. Such a beautiful sight."

"I'm pretty sure it was a beautiful sight, Steven," replied Marie.

He continued. "I was nine when it happened. I was sleeping, having a good dream about me prancing in the middle of a field of sunflowers while the sun was shining very bright. Then, I woke up. It was my mom. She told me we had to leave the house. I asked why, but she just said we had to. I never knew why.

"She was driving, and I was in the backseat. It was a rainy night, but that didn't bother me. In fact, I was playing a little, making smiley-faces on the window as there was a little fog on it." He smiled again. "I made a really big and detailed smiley-face, and I asked my mom to look at it. She did, through the rear-view mirror, and said the face was really good and that I should be proud of myself. Then, she told me she loved me so much. By that time, we were on a bridge built over the river.

"That was when the other driver ran us off the road."

Marie gasped in horror. "Oh, my God! What happened?!"

"Drunk driver, naturally." He scoffed. "Like I believe that crap. Anyway, we plunged into the river, and water was quickly flowing into a window that was shattered. My mom told me to get out of the car immediately. I tried to do so, but my jacket got tangled with the seat-belt, and the car was sinking into the water. I never knew what death felt like, and I was scared that it was coming so soon. I guess it was that fear that guided me out of the mess.

"When I got back to the surface and swam ashore, I looked back, expecting my mom to be there, right behind me." His skin paled. "She wasn't..."

"Oh, Steven..." Marie said, clutching his hand and squeezing it tightly.

"Yeah. Well, police found the driver of the other car a day later. He had taken about a dozen hostages at a hospital, repeatedly claiming he was innocent. But no one believed that shit. The evidence was all against him: his car was found with its front badly wrecked, witnesses saw him abandon the car, and he had a history of DUI offenses. Plus, a bartender confirmed that he saw him drinking heavily at his bar an hour before the accident, just when the guy was told he couldn't.

"Well, police were able to shoot the guy down, rescue all of the hostages, and arrest him. And now, he is spending the rest of his life in prison for my mom's death and also the hostage fiasco. But...But that doesn't seem good enough..." Steven clenched his fists angrily. "He should've just got killed back there in that hospital. No other punishment except for a slow, painful death could serve as penance for the tragedy I went through..."

"The guy was drunk, Steven," Marie said. "He didn't mean it. Your mother wouldn't want you to think that, would she?"

Steven bit his lower lip and shook his head. "No, no she wouldn't. But then again, how should I know how she'd feel about it, Marie? She's dead!"

"She still lives on in you, Steven. You just need to remember all the love she's given you."

The teenage boy sighed and nodded. "I know. I know, I know." His lip then quivered, and he burst into tears. "But it's so hard, Marie, it's SO hard!"

Marie hugged him tightly, and he returned the hug as he continued to weep, with the redhead giving him condolences. Finally, after an hour, he finally stopped crying and broke the hug. Steven smiled slightly and looked at her eyes.

"Thanks, Marie, for all the help," he said.

Marie smiled at him brightly. "You're welcome, Steven. Anything for a friend."

For some reason, Steven frowned at that, before he thought better of it and smiled back.

Just then, Marie said, "I'm assuming that lullaby you sang was by your mother."

Steven smiled fondly. "Yep, that's right."

* * *

_**Later that day**_

Marie and Steven walked into the school cafeteria, the former holding the baby. They approached the popular table, where they sat down beside, to Steven's dismay, Adam, who wrapped his arm around Marie, incurring a giggle from her.

"So, how's everyone doing with their babies?" she asked.

"Terrible," Jazz replied. "The baby keeps crying, and Fred and I have tried everything possible, but it never seems to stop! The simulator's probably broken..."

"You mean _I_ tried everything possible," Fred said with an annoyed expression as he held his and Jazz's baby. "You did nothing but freak out and desperately read the instruction manual. Seriously, you make Amanda look freaking _tame_, my God!"

"Excuse me?" Jazz glared at him with a disturbingly calm look.

"Nothing," replied Fred, intimidated by the Indian girl.

"Marie, Jazz, Steven!" a voice called. Marie and Steven glanced at their side and saw Thomas and Bridgette headed towards them.

"Can I talk to you in private?" Thomas asked.

"Sure..." Marie replied reluctantly. She, Jazz, and Steven stood up and followed Thomas to a corner of the cafeteria, the very same corner where Thomas and Steven argued at on the previous day. Thomas looked at the two of them with a pitiful expression on his face.

"Listen, guys," he said, "I've realized that I've been a...a...a..."

"Bastard?" completed Steven, an eyebrow raised.

Thomas sighed and then chuckled. "Yeah...a bastard."

"Damn right you were."

"Are you trying to ask for our forgiveness?" Marie asked, while Jazz crossed her arms suspiciously.

"Yes, yes I am." Thomas smiled slightly. "You guys, I've been very rude to you, and I've recognized that. I've just been so angry and so caught up with matters that it just clouded our friendships. I hope you three can find it in your hearts to forgive me for my behavior towards you."

Marie frowned briefly, then, her lips curved into a smile, and she hugged Thomas.

"Oh, Tommy," she said, "you know I can forgive you."

Marie broke the hug, allowing Steven to walk up to Thomas...and punch him in the face.

"STEVEN!" Marie exclaimed.

"WHAT THE HELL, MAN?!" cried Thomas. "WHAT WAS **THAT** FOR?!"

"That was for being a bastard!" Steven snapped. Suddenly, he hugged Thomas tightly, much to his surprise, but he recovered quickly and hugged him back. They then broke the hug after a minute and looked at each other seriously. "So, bros again?"

Thomas smiled and shook his head. "Bros again."

Marie smiled with happiness as Thomas and Steven hugged each other again. Then, all three turned to Jazz, who was staring at them, still looking suspicious.

"How about you, Jazz?" Marie asked. "Do you forgive Thomas?"

Jazz blinked, and suddenly, she frowned nastily at Thomas, turned around, and left, to their shock.

"Jazz?" asked Marie in confusion.

* * *

Bridgette walked over to the popular table and watched Sasha and Rosa as they giggled at a piece of gossip. She took a deep breath and walked up to her friends.

"Sasha, Rosa, I've gotta tell you something," she said.

"Really, girl?" asked Sasha, looking up at the blonde. "What is it?"

"Is it about Mitchell Calhoun?" Rosa asked with a hopeful expression; Mitchell Calhoun was considered the Justin Bieber of 2035.

Bridgette looked at Sasha and Rosa, unsure if she should tell them the truth about how she actually felt of being popular. She remembered Thomas's advice, and all his words of understanding, words that seemed to warm her heart for some reason. But...the scene that might or might not result if she said the truth...

"Yeah, yeah it's about Mitchell," replied Bridgette, smiling fallaciously as Sasha and Rosa squealed in delight.

* * *

_**October 22, 2035**_

Marie couldn't believe that the week was now over. As she sat in the desk beside Steven's, looking at her baby sadly, she began to fondly reminisce about the events that transpired during last weekend. On Saturday, she and Steven took the baby to a park, where they doted on the baby. There, a mother commented that they'd be a rather good couple, much to their embarrassment. On Sunday, they went to a festival, where they played games and won prizes. It had been a really fun time there, especially when Steven was taken onto the stage of a comedian accidentally, and participated in the man's jokes.

"All right, everyone!" Mr. Blake barked, stirring Marie from her thoughts. "Time to pass the babies up!"

Marie sighed sadly as the rest of the students obliged, and she looked into the baby's face. She never managed to get over the baby's cute face, with its cheeky smile and beady wet eyes. She bit her lip and began to address the baby as if it were actually alive.

"Well, this is it, honey," she said. "Time for you to go now..." Her eyes widened and she looked at Steven. "Steven! We forgot to name the baby!"

"Um..._so_?" replied Steven, shrugging._  
_

"So? I think that after a week with this baby, we should have the courtesy of _naming_ it! Since it's a girl, I think we should name it...Jenna!"

"Why Jenna?"

"I think Jenna sounds like a good name. Why? D'you have a good suggestion?"

"Not really."

"We have to agree on the name, Steven! Quickly, before Mr. Blake collects it!"

Steven looked into Marie's pleading eyes, and then at the baby. His eyes softened as he looked at the robotic simulator.

"Sophie."

"Huh?" asked Marie, confused.

"I think it should be called Sophie."

"Why Sophie?"

"Well, why Jenna?"

"I'm just asking, Steven!" Marie exclaimed.

Steven pursed his lips. "Sophie was my mother's name..."

Marie's eyes softened as she understood immediately. "Oh. I see." Then, she smiled warmly and nodded in agreement. "Sophie it is, then! I think it sounds like a pretty name for the baby." She looked at the baby. "Bye, Sophie. I'm gonna miss you so much. Say bye-bye to Mommy, Sophie."

"I don't think it can-" began Steven.

_**"Bye-bye,"**_ the baby replied.

Marie and Steven both blinked, and then, the former squealed, hugging the baby with all of her might, tears dripping down her cheeks.

"Oh, my God!" she squealed. "Little Sophie's first word! She spoke! Oh, I'm gonna miss you _so much_, Sophie, I don't wanna let you go..."

"Unfortunately, you have to." Mr. Blake was standing by Marie's desk, a nasty, sour tone laced in his voice. He roughly snatched Marie's baby away from her, much to her shock and horror, and stuffed it into a box filled with other robotic babies.

"HEY!" Marie exclaimed. "Don't do that!"

"Why?" asked Mr. Blake, scoffing. "It's just a robot! Why are you so concerned about the stupid thing, anyway?"

"SOPHIE'S NOT STUPID!" screamed Marie, tears still cascading down her cheeks. Everyone's heads turned towards her and Mr. Blake now.

"DON'T YOU USE THAT LEVEL OF VOICE AT ME, STUPID GIRL!" Mr. Blake roared. "NOW SIT DOWN IN YOUR SEAT! YOU HAVE DETENTION!"

Marie's jaw dropped open, and she collapsed on her seat as she began to cry. Mr. Blake's lip twitched, as if he was gonna smile.

"**YOU ****LEAVE HER ALONE!**" Steven had stood up and stared down at his father with absolute loathing. "IT'S BAD ENOUGH THAT YOU HAVE TO PICK ON ME AT HOME, NOW YOU'RE PICKING ON OTHERS YOUR OWN CLASSROOM! HOW THE HELL DID YOU GET THIS JOB, ANYWAY?!"

Mr. Blake glared at Steven and smiled a sickeningly sweet smile.

"Detention for you too, boy," he said.

"If you're putting 'em in detention, then you'll have to put me in detention as well."

Marie and Steven looked at Thomas, who was also staring at Mr. Blake with loathing. Again, the corrupted teacher smiled maliciously at him.

"Fine then, Mr. Fletcher. Detention for you too."

* * *

Ferb exited the Fletcher house and approached the mailbox, for it was mail-delivery day. The British man opened it and emptied it of its sole content, an envelope.

"Huh," he said. He ripped it open, retrieved the paper inside, and read it. His eyes widened in horror.

The note read:

**4-5-22-9-12-19 14-9-7-8-20: 23-1-20-3-8 15-21-20**

**1 7-15-15-4 6-18-9-5-14-4**

* * *

**Next Episode Summary:** Marie, Thomas, and Steven spend an hour after school in Health detention. Meanwhile, Xavier notices something with Dezz...

* * *

**A/N:** Yep, with resolutions comes more conflicts. What'll happen in Health detention? Find out in the next episode!

I'd like to thank those who reviewed (can't answer reviews):

**Cute as a button22**

**damonika2009**

**random guy (guest reviewer)**

**14AmyChan**

**thedoraemons7**

**Da Darkest Knight**

**humanusscriptor**

**Deborahpflover**

**Axis22**

Well, hope you enjoyed the longest chapter to date of the series! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!


	16. Detention in Health

**A/N:** Alright, everyone, before we begin, I have a quick announcement!

On Thursday, me and my family are gonna be off on a little road trip to Nevada, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and possibly Utah, which means I'm gonna be gone for a week (specifically eight days). So, wish me luck on my trip, and behave yourselves while I'm gone! :D

ENJOY!

**IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS:**

-Marie Flynn DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Angelus19 and sam-ely-ember.  
-Thomas Fletcher DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Melty19.  
-Destiny "Dezz" Horowitz DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Ciomy.  
-Daniel or "Danny" DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Ciomy.

* * *

**Episode 16: Detention in Health**

* * *

_**October 23, 2035**_

"I honestly don't believe why you'd land yourself in detention, Marie," Phineas said, shaking his head disapprovingly as he drove Marie to Danville High. "You're usually so well-behaved; I can't even begin to imagine you doing what you did to get yourself punished like that-"

The redhead glanced at her father with a pained expression etched on her face. "He was saying mean stuff, Daddy!" she protested, a shade of bright scarlet flooding her face, spreading like wildfire. "The teacher spoke really mean stuff towards the baby, and that offended my feelings!"

"You mean that robotic baby simulator you and Steven were raising for the Health project? Honestly, Marie, I know you've gotten close to it, but that doesn't mean you have to stand up against the teacher. He was probably having a bad day; you know how I can be when you're angry, which of course is a rare occurrence, but still-"

"YOU DIDN'T SEE HIM, DADDY!" shrieked Marie suddenly. "HE...HE...HE SEEMED TO **MEAN** THE THINGS HE WAS SAYING!"

"Maria Elizabeth Flynn!" Phineas shouted, more out of alarm than anger. "Don't speak to me in that tone!"

Marie shrunk into her seat as Phineas parked his hovermobile in front of the school's main entrance.

"Sorry, Daddy..."

It was briefly silent. Then, Phineas replied, "Marie, whatever reason you had for challenging the teacher, I understand. But, next time, don't get yourself into too much trouble, sweetie. You have no idea how shocked your mom is over the detention. ...Marie, honey...I'm wondering if it's got anything to do with your boyfriend, Adam..."

"What do you mean, Daddy?" Marie asked, horrified at what her father was going to say next.

"I know he's a great guy and all, but...for some reason...I can't shake the feeling that there's something _off_ with him..."

"There's nothing wrong with him, Daddy!"

Phineas pursed his lips and looked at Marie. "Are...Are you sure, Marie?" he asked. "'Cause I found this in your purse..."

The inventor stuck his hand in one of his pockets and pulled something out, wincing a bit as if he was carrying something disgusted, infected. Marie's eyes widened in horror as she looked upon the very thing that Adam gave her in case of 'special emergencies', as the athlete coined it. It was a natural latex condom, its sickly yellow color glowing rather feverishly in the rising sunlight. Marie began to sweat.

"Dad...I-I don't know how it-it got there..." she stuttered. The teenager then went on the defensive. "Wait, you're looking through my _purse_?! WHY, DAD?!"

"I found it sticking out of a pocket, I wasn't technically _looking through_ it. ...Marie, is there something you're not telling me?"

"Adam and I aren't having sex, Daddy!" Marie protested. "I swear!" Her jaw dropped open. "Does...Does Mom know about this?"

Phineas sighed heavily and shook his head. "No, she doesn't. For now, I want it to be between us; you know how ballistic she'd go if she found out. But Marie, you've gotta tell me the truth! Are you and Adam..._doing it_?"

"**NO!** GOD, NO! Dad, Adam just gave me that condom because he wants to wait for the perfect moment."

"And when will that perfect moment be, Marie? After graduation? During summer? ...After the Mid-Autumn Dance?"

Marie could sense where this was going. She and Adam had already signed up to attend the dance, and if Phineas was going to think that they would do it afterwards, then there goes her chances of having a romantic date and dance with her boyfriend...

"Dad, I'm talking to him about it. He says it's my decision on when we should do..._you-know-what_..." She was obviously embarrassed of saying the actual word now.

"I wish I could believe you, Marie, but now that you got yourself in detention-"

"IT'S BECAUSE THE TEACHER WAS SAYING BAD STUFF!"

Phineas ignored her. "-I'm now torn over whether I should you believe you or not. And now...even I'm starting to worry about you wearing those clothes in public..."

The redheaded girl gawked at her father in shock. She then frowned, gathering her bag, and quickly got out of the car.

"Marie-" began Phineas.

"I SAID I'M TALKING TO HIM, DAD!" Marie shrieked. "I SAID THAT ADAM THINKS IT SHOULD BE MY DECISION OVER WHETHER WE SHOULD DO IT OR NOT! CAN'T YOU JUST TRUST ME ON THAT?! YOU SAID I'M GROWING UP SO MANY TIMES! DOESN'T GROWING UP INVOLVE MAKING MY OWN DECISIONS?!"

"You're not an adult yet, Marie-"

"I LOVE ADAM, DAD! AND HE LOVES ME! YOU CAN'T JUST CONCLUDE WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT HIM BY SEEING A CONDOM IN MY PURSE! JUST-JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Phineas opened his mouth to protest, but Marie already shut the door in his face and marched off. His jaw dropped open; he just had his first argument with Marie, his beloved daughter, his only child... Struggling to keep himself together, he started the engine and flew off into the sky.

* * *

The moment she heard her father fly away, Marie wanted to do nothing more than run as fast as she could after the hovermobile, calling after Phineas, to apologize to him for all of the things she just said to him. But she knew that it was too late for any of that. She was still rooted to the spot, as still as an oak tree, while her father was getting farther and farther away from her. Mentally berating herself for her stupidity, Marie continued to march towards the school.

She could feel the ogling and hungry eyes of boys and astonished or jealous eyes of girls following her every move. Upon entering the school's main hallway, Marie hid behind a set of lockers and leaned against it. For the first time in a while, she felt uncomfortable in wearing the clothes again. It was a good thing the weatherman had predicted rainy storms to come in during the afternoon; she had brought her jacket in preparation. Putting it on in order to minimize the seductive effect of her clothes (it didn't do much, but it had to do), Marie continued her trek down the hallway.

After a minute or so, she found Adam at his locker. But for the first time, she didn't desire to see him.

"Hey, babe," Adam greeted, preparing to kiss her, but Marie stepped away. "Huh? What's wrong, babe?"

"I don't wanna talk to you," spat Marie.

"Come on, babe, you know you wanna talk to me. What's going on? Did bad ol' Thomas get to you again?"

"No. My...My dad saw the condom you gave me."

Adam didn't seem to be alarmed by that. "Okay. So he saw it. What's the big deal?"

"What's the big deal?!" repeated Marie, angry. "He's now on my butt about our relationship! He's having doubts about us being together!"

Adam's eyes widened, alarmed by Marie's fury. "Okay, okay, I get it, sorry! Did...Did you tell him that it's supposed to be a school tradition?"

"Why should I? He's just gonna sue the school to the ground."

"Oh. I forgot about that. Your father _is_ rich and all-"

"Not really, he's got a lot of influence." Marie crossed her arms as a question rose to her mind. "Adam, do you _really_ love me?"

"WHAT?! Of COURSE I do, babe! We wouldn't be dating if I didn't love you, now would we?"

"Yes, but every time we go out, you always want to spend it with a lot of making-out, and you're sometimes asking if we should do it. You don't wanna do other stuff with me. I won't argue, I love our make-out sessions, but that's not the only thing I want to do during a date!"

"And what else do you _want_ to do on our dates?" asked Adam calmly. Marie didn't notice it, but he was holding back an increasingly furious tone.

"Eat at a restaurant, go see places, talk about stuff, the like! Romantic stuff you see in the tween-lit novels!"

Adam shrugged. "Sorry, Marie, I don't follow tween-lit novel news."

Marie's eyes widened; she instantly registered the sarcastic tone laced in her boyfriend's voice. Adam noticed as well and decided to change the topic.

"So, my dad put you in detention, of course," he said. "That sucks, huh?"

"Yeah." Marie was still upset. "Adam, can't you just tell your dad to give me, Tommy, and Steven a lesser punishment? I mean, he WAS saying some mean stuff."

"He was just trash-mouthing a robotic baby; there's nothing wrong with that."

"MY baby!"

Adam sighed, trying to remain calm and composed. "Marie, honestly, I understand if you became close to the baby, I do. But you must understand that when my dad's made a decision, no matter how irrational and ridiculous it seems, he will stick with that decision to the very end. I can't just approach him and talk him to redact that punishment in replacement of another. Besides, he's a hardcore former soldier who closely and devotedly follows a system. It cannot be challenged. Understand?"

Marie's eyes narrowed at Adam. Though he sounded sincere, she couldn't help but feel that he didn't want to take the effort. She could feel a barrier form between the two of them. However, she nodded curtly and walked away without another word.

* * *

Adam watched Marie as she walked away from him. When she disappeared from his eyesight, he clenched his fist and slammed it against a locker, alarming a number of students that were nearby. Seconds later, Brad, Mike, and Sam appeared. The former two were chatting with each other and laughing heartily while the latter was merely trailing behind them silently, more like a devoted but worn-out dog than a friend.

"Hey, man," greeted Brad. He then noticed Adam's expression. "Uh, Adam? What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" repeated Adam. "_What's wrong_? I'll tell you what's fucking WRONG! Marie's starting to doubt our RELATIONSHIP, that's what!"

"Chillax, Adam," Mike said nonchalantly. "She'll resubmit to your will; after all, you've got the gift of manly seduction!"

"I can't just DO that with her, though! She's really independent, and very resistant! Plus, she just had a little confrontation with her father, which is bound to render all my plans more impractical than they already are! I shouldn't have laid my eyes on her! But that fucking BODY...God, I wanna BANG that, it's so addictive even to LOOK!"

Sam winced slightly, something that didn't go unnoticed by Adam.

"Got a problem, _man_?"

"No, no problem at all," Sam replied calmly.

Adam continued to stare at him suspiciously. "So, tell me, Sam, how's it going with Dezz? How's she holding up from our little meeting a couple weeks ago?"

"I don't even think she comes to the school anymore."

The lead athlete let out a sigh of contented relief.

"FINALLY. One piece of good fucking news."

* * *

Dezz stroked her new streak of pink hair protectively as she walked into Danville High School, wearing a gray hoodie over her shirt; the hood was drawn over her face to obscure it from the athletes. She could no longer trust any athlete, especially after what several basketball players did to her...

On October 8, she had been lured into a lonely location of the school by Marie's boyfriend Adam and his cronies, all of whom beat her senseless and cut the strand of pink hair that stood as the very thing that made her distinctive from everyone else, the streak that she held most dear. Fortunately, they did not do anything..._sexual_ to her (one said she was not attractive enough for that), but the blitz attack was enough for her to think about not coming to school the next day. Even pieces of well-meaning consolation from Danny didn't do anything to appease her mind...

But when she woke up on October 9, she found that her pink hair had mysteriously _grown back_. Danny didn't have any explanation for that. And even more mysterious, the moment Dezz looked into the mirror the first time, she could've sworn there was a strange _green twinkle_ in her gray eyes. But since then, Dezz had been wearing had been wearing the gray hoodie in order to protect herself from the athletes, a successful tactic so far.

"_Dezz_?" a voice asked. So much for successful.

Dezz turned around and saw, to her relief, Xavier and Fred approaching her, both wearing their soccer uniforms.

"Dezz, you're here!" Xavier exclaimed happily, seeming intensely relieved. "We haven't seen you in weeks; I was getting worried about you! Where in the world have you been?" He then raised an eyebrow. "And...why are you wearing that gray hoodie? It's warm inside, just so you know..."

"No special reason," replied Dezz quickly as she ran off. The Johnson brothers watched her go.

"What was that?" Fred asked.

"No idea..." replied Xavier, his eyes shimmering with wonder about his childhood friend. "Dezz..."

He didn't know it, but Fred was looking at him, smirking.

* * *

"**WHAT**?!" screeched Evan as he stood up. He, Thomas, Byron, Z, Max, Floyd, Lloyd, and Raoul were all currently at the hillside where the Gang liked to hang out.

"I said that Steven doesn't want to be in the Gang anymore," replied Thomas confidently. "He says he's quit."

"That good-for-nothing BASTARD."

"Hey, don't you call Steven a bastard!" Thomas protested furiously.

Evan ignored him and turned around, struggling to contain his rising fury and wrath. Byron was the only one who was watching him attempt it.

"Why that double-crosser," Evan snarled at Byron. "I gave him EVERYTHING, and he threw it away. And for what? For WHAT? NOTHING, that's what! We haven't even gotten _started_ on Operation: Red Thunder, the thing that'll bring down Adam and his athlete bastards, and he chickens out on us! Why is that _so_?"

"No idea, boss," Byron replied. "Thomas should know, though; _he's_ the one whom Steven told he was leaving the Gang."

"True, true..." Evan turned around, putting on an innocently curious look on his face. "Thomas, do you know exactly _why_ Steven wished to leave our brotherhood, the brotherhood that could've given him _so much_?" He spoke those words with a wavering calmness as he continued to struggle against his anger.

"He says that I'm getting too deep in amassing more Gang members," Thomas replied honestly. "And I believe him."

Evan blinked. "So...does that mean _you're_ quitting too?"

"No, of course not! But I think I should, uh..._relax_ my activities with you guys. I have other friends-"

"Friends who have abandoned you for those whom they perceive to better than YOU?" interrupted Evan harshly.

"I have made amends with them. Well..._most_ of them. But that's beside the point; I wish to catch up with the friendships I treasure the most."

"And you don't treasure _our_ friendships?" This time, it was Z who spoke.

"I DO treasure our friendship too, guys, but it's just that I've known Marie and Jazz longer than I've known you guys. You were all great friends, and I shall continue to hang out with you all, but I think I have to get back on track with Marie, and also try to reconcile with Jazz." He glanced at Z and looked into his eyes seriously. "Isn't that what you should _do_, Z? Don't you think it's time to become friends with Rosa again?"

Z didn't speak. Thomas sighed and then smiled sadly.

"I'll meet up with you guys soon," he said, just as the school bell rang. The rest of the Gang watched him as he ran inside the school.

"This is NOT good," Evan spat. "We cannot afford to lose Thomas. He's essential to Operation: Red Thunder! We HAVE to do something about this!"

"Yeah, essential..." Z said, obviously not focused on Evan. He looked at the ground and began to muse about something unknown to everyone else...

* * *

_**Later that day**_

It was the end of the school day, but not for Marie, Thomas, and Steven. Not yet. The trio found themselves sitting at their desks in Mr. Blake's classroom. The only one present in the room aside from the teacher was a fourth student, who was unresponsive, seemed to be of Hispanic descent, with curly black hair and the beginnings of a mustache, and he wore a black hoodie and torn blue jeans. He seemed to be from another class period, as none of them recognized him.

Mr. Blake marched down the room, imposing the feeling of a military exercise other than a regular detention. As he did, the four eyed a surgical bandage that stretched across his right cheek, with some red stains on it. They didn't know if he actually suffered a wound or was just wearing it to intimidate them.

"Okay, ladies and gentlemen," he barked, "you are here obviously because you have all done something to cross me. And whenever you cross me in MY classroom, it is an unbearable offense that must be unforgivably PUNISHED. You first-timers are lucky I decided to land you here in godforsaken detention. If it were up to me, I would have you all run a hundred laps around the city perimeter, and that's no joke!

"Punishments are to be taken for granted! See this bandage here?" He pointed at the surgical bandage. "SEE IT?" The students nodded fearfully. "Good. That's what you call a real-life punishment here! I got this during a bar fight last night, when a bunch of guys just fought it out and I tried to intervene." He coughed.

"There comes a time in the life of a man...or woman-" He spoke it with a slight loathing tone, which caused Marie to redden with anger. "-when the best thing to do in a situation, like the one I just described, is to merely stand by and do nothing. Let the highest form of authority clear it up; in the case of the bar fight, either an armed bartender or a police officer. Try and intervene in something that is taking its due course, and you get hurt, like me."

"But what if people get hurt?" asked Marie, almost rebelliously.

Mr. Blake glared at Marie and smirked. "Like I said, it's a punishment. They were punished for getting themselves involved in the first place."

"But if we just stand by as the fight goes on, then people will get hurt, or even killed! Would anyone be that willing to let that happen?"

"It's not our problem, Ms. Flynn," Mr. Blake replied sourly. "We have a life of our own, and we can't afford to have others mess it up for us." His smirk widened. "And as a result of you trying to get involved in this, to try and discredit my lecture, you have another detention next week. Here, same time. A punishment, as I call it."

Marie's eyes widened, and she struggled to not cry. Thomas and Steven both wanted to stand up and attack Mr. Blake, but thought better of it. The fourth student did not seem to be concerned about his surroundings, other than giving a casual glance of nonchalance.

"Now," continued the Health teacher, "on with my lesson. Since you all tried to intervene in something that is taking its due course, a.k.a. my Health class, then you all must be punished, most unforgivably." He pointed at four stacks of boxes. "You four organize the files in the boxes by alphabetical order. You'll all be timed for this; five exact minutes, to be precise. Nothing more. Now, GO, GO, GO!"

The four all stood up and ran over to the boxes, individually emptying them of their contents and organizing them. As they examined the names written on the files, at least Marie, Thomas, and Steven concluded that all of them had been _made up_ by Mr. Blake. Boogerton, Sal. Gullible, Ty. Too Lazy to Write a Name.

"This _sucks_," whispered Thomas.

"I'm sorry," Steven replied. "This is what he does to me once a week at least."

Marie sniffled, still struggling to hold back tears. "He's so mean..." she whimpered.

"Don't let him get to you," Steven said. "That'll just encourage him."

"AGH!" Marie jerked her hand back; she had cut her finger on one of the files, and crimson specks of blood were appearing. "Mr. Blake, I-I got a bad paper cut!"

"Don't let it bother you, keep going!" snapped Mr. Blake. "You're still being timed! And don't you dare stain any of those files with your goddamn blood!"

Marie began to quietly weep. Steven, who was beside her, quickly took out a roll of surgical bandages from his pocket and ripped a piece out.

"Here," he said, grabbing her hand gently and wrapping it around her superficial wound. "I always come prepared for things like this."

"Thanks."

Marie smiled at him, and he smiled back before resuming work. All the while, Thomas watched, feeling the heat rise up in his cheeks.

* * *

Finally, the five minutes ended, and fortunately, the four students all had enough time to properly organize the files and put them back into their respective boxes. Mr. Blake excused them all out of the classroom, and Marie was walking down the mostly-empty main hallway with Thomas and Steven by her sides. Loitering students all looked at her curiously, wondering why a popular girl like her had two Duster Rebel Gang members by her side as if they were bodyguards. But the trio ignored them.

"I hate your dad," Marie spat nastily.

"Glad to see we're on the same track on something," replied Steven. "He's always that way at home."

"To you and Adam?" Marie looked at Steven, her eyes shimmering a bit.

Steven looked back, and Thomas expected him to protest about her inclusion of Adam in the familial dysfunction. But he was surprised today.

"Yeah."

"Oh. I'm sorry. Is...Is there anything you two could do to get away from him?"

"He's the only family we have," Steven said honestly. "And even if he does this to us, he's caring enough to provide us with food and beds, even if they are crappy."

"Oh," Marie said again. At this point, the trio left the school and stepped outside. They sat on a hillside, not the same hillside the Gang met up at, but it happened to be near the small tree where Steven had been sitting under during the first day of school, where Thomas and Marie first met him.

"Steven?"

Thomas noticed something shift in Steven's lips as he replied, "Yeah?"

"Tell me a story about your mom."

"My mom?"

"Yep."

Steven took a deep breath. "Sure. Well, where do I begin?" He spent a few seconds reminiscing about any particular events he wanted to tell Marie. He smiled as one memory came to him. "There was this one time when I was five. My mom took me and Adam to the park; my dad was serving in South Greece at the time. Adam wasn't the best guy at that age. Always was he badly-behaved, and you should've seen how he picked on any smaller kids he came across. And that was just the case when we went to the park. When my mom wasn't looking, he found a large group of Lil' Sparks serving cupcakes and targeted them.

"I went over to defend them, and Adam, he treated me the same as any other kid he picked on. But for some reason, I continued to resist; usually, I'd just sink down in defeat from his roughhousing and cry. But Adam was always stronger, so I lost against him, naturally." That earned a shocked gasp from Marie; he nodded and then continued. "My mom saw what was going on, and Adam got into big trouble again." He snickered happily. "I could still remember how much of a crybaby he was being. Anyway, my mom then came up to me and told me that I was a hero for saving those Lil' Sparks. I wasn't convinced until one of them came up to me and offered me a cupcake to eat, as thanks. It wouldn't be much of a thanks, now that you think about it, but I accepted it, nonetheless. I still have the wrapper." He chuckled.

"Well, when we went home, and Adam was up in his bedroom, crying his lungs out, my mom came up to me again and told me that I had been a brave boy at the park and that such exceptional bravery makes me an exceptional person. She then said that she was glad to raise an exceptional person like me." He chuckled again, this time out of sarcasm and bitterness. "So much for being an exceptional person, otherwise I'd be out of my dad's hair..."

"The time will come," Marie replied. "For now, just be as much of an exceptional person as you can to overcome him."

Steven smiled. "You sound like my mom."

"Well, I guess I'm learning a lot on how to be philosophical from the master." She winked at him and then smiled, causing Thomas's eyes widen. Things became worse for him when he saw Steven's cheeks turn into a shade of scarlet, the same scarlet Thomas's cheeks would become whenever he saw Marie smile..._**  
**_

"Uh, Steven?" he asked. "Can I talk to you in private?"

"Uh...sure..." replied Steven uneasily, standing up and following his friend to the hillside where the Gang usually met at.

When they were out of Marie's earshot, Thomas asked angrily, "What the hell, Steven?"

"What?!" exclaimed Steven.

"A day after we make up, and you're becoming too close to Marie for comfort-"

"Hey, she's just being friendly to me! I know how much you have a crush on her, Thomas. I know I can't do that to you!"

"What's up with the blushing, then?"

"She...She...She..." stuttered Steven. "Um...She..." He was beginning to blush in embarrassment. "Okay, okay, I'll admit, there's a little soft spot in my heart for her."

"But you know I have a crush on her, right?"

"Yes."

"Then back off."

Steven looked at Thomas reluctantly, his eyes soft, though Thomas couldn't see that. "She just makes me very _happy_, Thomas... She reminds me of my mom..."

Thomas's eyes softened as well upon hearing Steven's words.

"Oh. So that's the reason?"

"Yes, man. I know you love her very much. I...I'll admit, I love her too, but I think it'd be better off if she was with you. I mean...I nearly strangled her once."

"WHAT?!" screamed Thomas, surprised.

"I was under the impression that I was still dreaming a bad nightmare, Thomas, I'm sorry!" Steven exclaimed, wincing. "Why would I want her to be with me if her life is in danger just because I am still scarred by my mom's death? What benefit do I have for her?"

Thomas softened again and patted Steven's shoulder.

"You're right, Steven," he said. "I-I'm sorry." He smiled slightly. "I'm glad we cleared this up."

"Me too."

"Well, I guess it's time to head back."

The two teenage boys walked back towards Marie, who was looking at the with concern on her face.

"Everything okay back there?" she asked, having obviously heard Thomas's outburst.

"Yeah, everything's okay," replied Thomas as he and Steven sat down. "Now, why don't we talk, Marie?"

"Sure, Tommy!"

Steven saw Thomas blush, and he suddenly felt a stab of jealousy in his heart.

_"Oh, dear,"_ the red-haired boy thought. _"This is gonna be a long year..."_

* * *

Thomas and Steven were unaware that their conversation had been overheard by Byron. However, he pulled away, missing the part of the conversation where Steven admitted his own feelings for Marie. He snickered maliciously as he procured his cell phone and dialed a number.

"Ooh, Evan's gonna wanna hear _this_," he whispered.

* * *

Also overhearing the conversation, and similarly missing a key part of it, was Brad. He pressed his cell phone against his ear and waited for the other line to respond.

"This had better be good, Brad," Adam's voice snapped.

"Oh, it's good, all right," replied Brad, smiling malevolently. "In fact, I think we just hit a gold mine..."

* * *

Xavier paced around his and Fred's bedroom worriedly. He had dialed Dezz's phone for the tenth time in less than a half-hour, and she still hadn't responded.

"Give it up, bro," Fred said as he stretched on his bed. "I don't think Dezz wants to talk to you."

"She HAS to!" cried Xavier desperately as he dialed the number again. "I haven't seen her in weeks, and when I finally do, she runs away from me and vanishes from sight! There's obviously something going on with her, and I'm gonna find out what, even if it takes me the entire YEAR!"

He put his phone against his ear, praying to the heavens that Dezz would respond, but once again, there was just a voice-mail box. The blond groaned and prepared to throw the cell phone onto the floor out of frustration, but it suddenly vibrated, the ringtone permeating through the air. Not bothering to check the number of who was calling him, Xavier answered the call within a split-second's notice.

"Hello, Dezz?" he asked. "Listen, we HAVE to talk!"

"This isn't Dezz," a strange voice replied. "But this is someone who knows what's going on with her, and I'm willing to inform you on that."

Xavier's skin turned pale.

* * *

**Next Episode Summary:** Ferb's cousins from England move to the U.S. due to an economic recession happening at their home country, and they bring along their many children; Thomas and Steven befriend the black sheep of the family. Meanwhile, Isabella's cousin from Mexico also moves to the country with her child, and Marie tries to bond with her. Also, Marie and Jazz's friendship is threatened...

* * *

**A/N:** So, we are finally seeing some conflict between Marie and Adam! YES! LET'S CELEBRATE! And it looks like we're finally gonna find out what's happening with Dezz! ...And Steven has a crush on Marie? Oh, dear, Thomas had better watch out...

I'd like to thank the following for reviewing:

**DMC7500**

**damonika2009:** Well, Jazz will be making amends with Thomas eventually, don't you worry.

**Tokka who invent BeastlyRavens:** The song was made up, it's not actually real.

**random guy (guest reviewer)**

**Deborahpflover:** I loved your review! Thanks! :D

**BaRrAcUdA111:** You deduced the code! HOORAY!

**Cute as a button22:** Now Marie is starting to see Adam for who he truly is! :D And we'll learn more about that coded letter...

**TheNargana:** 'Uh'? What do you mean by 'uh'?

**humanusscriptor:** You're the first and so far only one to deduce some chemistry going on with Steven and Marie! You should be blessed.

**Max (guest reviewer):** I'm glad you knew of it.

**Axis22**

**Proxus:** You will. ;)

**14AmyChan**

**Da Darkest Knight:** I know I didn't put in a scene where Marie mentions Thomas hitting her, but I HAVEN'T forgotten! But since I'm gonna be gone for a week, I might forget, so if I do, be sure to remind me!

**Monkey Lover 911 (guest reviewer)**

Well, hope you enjoyed this first chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!


	17. Second Cousins Galore

**A/N:** BOOM, BABY! I'M BACK, AND BETTER THAN EVER!

I told you all that I'd be gone for eight days. It's been ten days since my departure. MY MOM HAS **DECEIVED** ME!

XD

Anyway, it was a great trip. I went to Las Vegas (my favorite place out of the entire vacation), the Grand Canyon (I wasn't able to see that guy who walked across the canyon on just a tightrope, though, what a true bummer!), Carlsbad Caverns (it effing STUNK in there!), and Roswell (I think I saw a UFO there). Now, I've returned to my humble domain with a bunch of sunburns and an outlook of enlightenment, for I have discovered (or rediscovered) a few new shows that I wish to write stories on! Those shows would be "Gravity Falls", "Regular Show", and "Pokémon"! :D

Okay, enough Doofenshmirtz-style rambling! On with the chapter. ENJOY!

**P.S.:** Since "My Fair Goalie" had to name Eliza's brothers either Beckham or Pelé, I have created a little guide for you readers to distinguish the five brothers. Be sure to memorize it, and if you can't, you have to go back to this chapter to reread it, because unlike the 'Important Disclaimers' section, I do not plan on utilizing the guide on each and every chapter that I post for the story. I have based the guide on a list that was included in the Wikia article titled 'Ferb's cousins'; you can use that list too.

**IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS:**

-Marie Flynn DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Angelus19 and sam-ely-ember.  
-Thomas Fletcher DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Melty19.  
-Jasmine Rai DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to sam-ely-ember and Melty19.  
-Bridgette Clark DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Orthgirl123, Angelus19, and sam-ely-ember.  
-Destiny "Dezz" Horowitz DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Ciomy.

**BECKHAM/PELE GUIDE:**

-PELE FLETCHER 1: He's the tallest one, with the lighter-brown hair; and wearing the red shirt with the white collar and pink stripes, white shorts, and black sneakers.

-PELE FLETCHER 2: He's the one with the spiky blond hair; and wearing the dark-red shirt with the tan vest and Ferb-style red pants, with the black belt and the black sneakers.

-BECKHAM FLETCHER 1: He's the one with the straight brown hair; and wearing the half-moon black glasses, green T-shirt, gray pants, and gray sneakers.

-BECKHAM FLETCHER 2: He's the one with the unkempt brown hair; and wearing the square green glasses, tan T-shirt with the white shirt underneath, brown shorts, and black sneakers with white socks.

-BECKHAM FLETCHER 3: He's the shortest one, with the straight blond hair that covers one eye; and wearing the dark-blue hoodie, blue jeans, and black sneakers.

I will be referring the Beckhams and Pelés by these above titles, so again, memorize the guide and use it as a reference!

* * *

**Episode 17: Second Cousins Galore**

* * *

_**October 26, 2035**_

The six families and the elderly couple all walked out of the Danville International Airport together, the carts holding their many suitcases hovering after them in a style reminiscent to ghosts in the air. Even though they all looked alike, a majority of people would not imagine how it'd be possible for these families, plus the couple, to be collectively related as an extended family, let alone wonder why they are all traveling at the same time, or at least how they would handle the airfare. But nonetheless, it was so; the families of Eliza Fletcher, the Beckhams, and the Pelés, were related, and they were traveling at the same time.

In fact, they were _immigrating_ at the same time.

"I never thought I'd be back in this country," Beckham 3 said. The hair covering his eye had receded drastically over the years, allowing a good view for both eyes, and he wore a dark-blue suit. He sighed as his wife leaned her head against his shoulder as the extended Fletcher family observed the Danville of 2035.

"I never thought I'd be stepping _foot_ in this country," one of Beckham 3's sons said. The teenage boy greatly resembled his father, including the straight blond hair that covered one eye. "Father, are you positive that in America they call football _soccer_?" When his father nodded in response, he crossed his arms and scoffed. "What a big load of rubbish! If only the almighty England didn't go into that economic recession..."

"Alas, it did, boy," Beckham 1 said, patting his nephew's shoulder. Like Beckham 3, and the rest of his brothers, he was wearing a suit, which was colored green. "And now, we must seek shelter in America, and learn its ways in order to get back on our feet."

"This had better be worth it, Father," a daughter of Beckham 1 spat.

"Oh, it will be," replied Eliza as she smiled brightly.

Much like her step-cousin Candace, Eliza Fletcher had developed a physique identical to that of her mother's over the years, and her hairstyle was slightly shorter and a bit more refined. She lost her trademark short ponytail, which allowed her brown hair to flow down smoothly up to her shoulders. She retained her choice of a black jacket, white collar shirt, and blue jeans that she wore during her teenage years, though the latter clothing was no longer rolled-up.

Eliza examined the only member of her family, a teenage son with brown hair that was dyed black, who wore all-black clothing: Peter. She also had an adult daughter who worked in a successful organization back at England, but with her included, the quantity of her family was dwarfed compared to those of her brothers, who had as little as five children (Pelé 2) to as much as nine children (Beckham 3). But the quantity of children didn't matter to her; she treasured both of her children dearly.

Just then, Peter noticed her looking at him and silently glanced away in rejection. Eliza sighed heavily. She knew that this was part of her son's behavior ever since his father and her husband, Charles Pipping, who greatly resembled Candace's husband Jeremy, was killed while trying to intervene during a bank robbery. Peter looked up to his father as a role model, and had been emotionally shattered during his death. Since then, he had become a secretive, lonely, easily frustrated teenager.

Eliza hoped that moving to the U.S. would remedy Peter. But she knew that she had a long path ahead of her in that goal.

* * *

_**Elsewhere at the airport**_

Anabel Shapiro walked out of a terminal at another location in the airport, taking a deep breath and letting out a heavy, contented sigh as she observed Danville. She had visited the city only once before to visit her cousin Isabella, almost twenty years ago. It was an experience she would rather forget. However, she was extremely confident that all would be well the next time around. After all, she and her daughter were moving to Danville, taking a new start to their otherwise-miserable lives...

The Jewish woman blinked, shaking her head to clear it of her thoughts, her platinum-blonde hair flying as she did so.

"Are you okay, Mom?" a timid voice asked.

Anabel looked at her teenage daughter, Josie. She looked exactly like her, with platinum-blonde hair and the classic head shape and adorable face that all females of the Garcia-Shapiro family inherited. However, she wore circular glasses, which seemed to amplify her cuteness appeal; she also wore a green dress with a dark-green jacket. Anabel bit her lip, remembering all of the times she had to purchase new pairs of glasses for Josie weekly due to... She couldn't even think of it.

"Yeah, I'm okay, Josie," replied Anabel. "Come on, let's go. We've got a long day ahead of us."

"I'm scared, Mom," Josie said. "What if people here don't like me?"

"They will. All you have to do is be yourself. Besides, your second cousin Marie is a very kind and sweet girl who is popular. She'll get you loads of friends in no time!"

Josie winced slightly upon hearing that Marie was popular. "I don't like the sound of that, Mom..."

"Come on, Josie, you're only saying that because you never had any friends in Mexico. We're restarting our lives, sweetie." She stared into her daughter's eyes with all of the seriousness she could make. "_He_ can't hurt us anymore. It's gonna be all right. The both of us are gonna be fine here as long as Aunt Isabella helps us out."

* * *

"Uh...come again?" Thomas asked in confusion. He, Marie, Xavier, and Fred were both sitting at the kitchen table of the Flynn house, facing their parents. Also present in the room were Linda and Lawrence, as well as Vivian Garcia-Shapiro and Amanda. Nearby in the living room, Jazz, Bridgette, Sasha, and Rosa were all gossiping with each other excitedly, their squealing voices filling the background as they talked about Adam.

"My cousins, their families, and my uncle and aunt are moving here from England," Ferb replied casually. "Eliza, Beckham, Pelé, Beckham, Beckham, and Pelé, and Uncle Adrian and Aunt Lucy. And they're all gonna staying near us, so you're gonna be seeing them a lot. There's a lot of second cousins to deal with, Thomas, so please, be on your best behavior, son. Teach them the rules of the street, if you will."

Thomas shrugged nonchalantly, while Fred raised an eyebrow.

"Uncle Ferb, you said Beckham three times and Pelé twice," he said.

Ferb's response was short and simple. "It's complicated."

"My cousin Anabel is also coming here with her daughter Josie," added Isabella, looking at her daughter directly. "Marie, you're gonna be seeing them a lot too. Please be nice and courteous to Josie; from what Anabel has told me, she's a very shy girl who doesn't have any friends."

Marie smiled brightly. "Don't worry, Mom!" she exclaimed determinedly. "Jazz, Brid, Sasha, Rosa, and I can be her new friends!"

Isabella smiled back. "That's the spirit!"

Just then, the doorbell rang, and Phineas smiled. "Oh, that must be them!" he exclaimed as he approached the front door.

Opening it, Thomas's eyes widened as he watched numerous toddlers, children, and teenagers, all bearing at least one trademark physical trait of the Fletcher family, flood into the room, followed by six couples and another woman. He couldn't even begin to imagine how many second cousins he had. At the corner of his eye, he saw Marie giggle at his shocked reaction; he turned scarlet with embarrassment.

"FERB!" Beckham 3 exclaimed as he hugged his cousin. "Great to see you, lad!"

"Likewise, Beckham," replied Ferb as he hugged the rest of his cousins, as well as Adrian and Lucy.

As Linda, Lawrence, Phineas, Candace, and Jeremy followed suit, Thomas examined the mass that was his many second cousins, all of whom were looking at him with curious and rather _horrified_ glances as they took notice of his trench-coat. Finally, a teenage boy who was about a year older than him, who sported straight blond hair that covered one eye, a lot like Thomas's brown hair, pointed at him. Thomas couldn't tell if the pointing was accusatory or otherwise.

"What is _that_?" he asked. "Is that the traditional American fashion sense?"

"I guess you can call it that way," Thomas replied, shrugging.

"Revolting, if I do say so myself," a girl in her preteens commented, and several of her siblings and cousins collectively nodded in agreement. Thomas turned scarlet in anger; Marie quickly noticed her friend's reaction and was swift in changing the subject.

"Well then, welcome to America, everyone!" she exclaimed cheerfully. "I'm pretty sure you'll all love it here, and I hope we can all be the best of friends!"

"Oh, I'm confident it'll be an honor," a teenage girl replied, putting special emphasis to the sarcastic tone she was utilizing. It was Marie's turn to become red, but she knew better than to unleash her anger upon these visitors and newcomers to the Flynn-Fletcher roster.

Thomas sighed, knowing that bonding with his second cousins would be a difficult task.

* * *

A few minutes had passed while everyone became acquainted with the entire extended Fletcher family. At this point, the doorbell rang again.

"Ah, this must be Anabel!" exclaimed Isabella excitedly, and she reopened the front door, revealing a woman around her age, with a teenage girl standing at her side, her face obscured by a book titled _To Kill a Mockingbird_. Isabella and the other woman, who looked very much like her, both squealed joyously and hugged each other with devotion as the woman's daughter aimlessly wandered into the living room, still concentrated on her book.

Smiling, Marie walked up to the girl and tapped her shoulder, catching her attention. She saw that her second cousin, much like Isabella and Anabel, looked very much like her, save for the platinum-blonde hair, the different choice of clothing, and the fact that she wore circular glasses, a trait that reminded Marie of her Aunt Gretchen.

"Hi!" the red-haired girl greeted. "My name's Marie! What's your name?"

"J-Josie," replied the girl shyly as she resumed reading her book.

"Welcome to the U.S., Josie! I guarantee that you're gonna love it here! I'm confident that we'll have a fun time together as friends!" Josie shifted slightly upon hearing the last word, but Marie didn't notice, and she continued speaking. "Hey, you should meet my friends! Don't be shy; we're an accepting group!"

Josie looked away, still buried in her book. "I'd rather not."

Marie frowned with disappointment. She was intent on making Josie's new life a great experience, but as with Thomas and his many second cousins, she could sense that there was gonna be a long path for that goal. She sighed and patted Josie's shoulder.

"Okay, if you insist," she said. "But we're in the living room if you wanna talk."

The redhead then walked away from Josie and headed back towards Thomas. Upon seeing him, she couldn't help but giggle, for the younger Fletcher second cousins were tugging and prodding at his trench-coat with curiosity, a sight reminiscent of the ancient nomadic peoples with the first lighting of fire. Thomas looked extremely frustrated as well as surprised at all of the attention he was getting from the children.

"Aw, I think the children _like_ you, Tommy!" Marie squealed.

"Great, more problems for me!" snapped Thomas bitterly. "Get off, you rascals. Ugh, _off_, I say!"

The doorbell rang again, and Marie, still giggling at Thomas's misfortune, went over to the front door to answer. Opening it, she smiled brightly and hugged the visitor.

"Oh, hi, Steven!"

"Uh..._hey_..." Steven said, blushing. He then noticed the overabundance of people inside the house. "Um...am I interrupting anything?"

Marie broke the hug and led Steven into the house, closing the door behind her. "My Uncle Ferb and my mom's cousins are all moving here. You should meet 'em, a lot of second cousins are around our age! Hey, you can be more social this way; you definitely need more friends!"

"I'm fine, thank you." Then, Steven spotted Thomas, who was walking towards him in desperation. Following him were the younger second cousins. "Oh, hey, Thomas. I found the email you sent me; thanks for guiding me here. So, uh...what-what's up?"

"I can't get these kids to leave me alone," Thomas replied angrily. "Oh, great, they're going for your trench-coat too."

Indeed, Steven found himself being surrounded by several of the children, all of whom inspected his own trench-coat curiously. He sighed with a mixture of anger and, to his surprise, a little pleasure at the attention he was receiving from such young and innocent souls. Marie giggled, prompting him to blush a little, but fortunately for him, Thomas didn't notice, as he was continuing to fight off the children.

"I think this really is a traditional American fashion," one boy said.

"It looks very peculiar," a girl replied. "Should we ask Mummy and Daddy if they can buy some of these?"

"Darn it, get OFF!" Thomas and Steven howled simultaneously.

"HEY, LEAVE THEM ALONE!"

"Oh, NO!" squeaked a boy. "It's _Peter_!"

The children all screamed and ran away in several directions. Marie, Thomas, and Steven looked up at the person who spoke: a boy who was their age, who had black, stringy hair and wore a black hoodie, black cargo pants, and black sneakers. In fact, the only other color on his person that wasn't black was the blue eyes. Marie could immediately sense the boy's emotional discomfort, as did Thomas and Steven, both of whom instantly felt a magnetic bond with their savior.

"Thanks, man," Thomas said.

"You are welcome, lad," the boy named Peter replied. "Those children can be quite a handful." He smiled slightly as he inspected Thomas and Steven's trench-coats. "I really like your fashion sense, lads. Very..._expressive_. Where did you get them?"

"We have friends with connections."

Sensing where this was going, Marie instinctively walked away, knowing what Thomas had planned for Peter.

* * *

"So, what's your name, man?" asked Steven.

"Peter, Peter Fletcher," Peter replied modestly. "I would rather not be referred to as 'Pete' or 'Petey' or any of those other nonsensical nicknames." He shuddered for a brief moment before continuing. "It's rather frustrating and embarrassing simultaneously."

"Same here," Thomas said. "The name's Thomas, and this is Steven. ...So, you like our trench-coats, huh?"

"Indeed. In fact, I'm now hoping to get one of my own. Can you get your friends to purchase one for me?"

"I'd love to," replied Thomas, "but in order to get your own trench-coat, you have to become an honorary member of our circle, the Duster Rebel Gang, or the Gang, for short. However, we're constantly expanding our ranks, and a place is always open for you. Do you wanna join the Gang, man?"

Peter's eyes widened, and he raised an eyebrow curiously. He was obviously distrusting Thomas's proposal.

"So, what you are inferring to is that you wanna be _friends_ with me?"

Thomas let out a short laugh. "Friends? Friends is a general term. More like _brothers_. We look out for each other in the Gang."

Peter sighed and replied bitterly, "I have a sister back at England, and she sucks. Mother keeps favoring _her_ over me..."

"Then considered your wish for a brother, or more like many brothers, _granted_. That is, if you wish to accept my offer, Peter."

"It _is_ an enticing one at that..." Peter smiled. "I guess I accept your proposal."

* * *

Marie walked into the living room, where she found Jazz, Bridgette, Sasha, and Rosa curiously examining the newest arrivals.

"Jeez, you have a large family, girl," Sasha commented.

"Most of them are just from Tommy's side," replied Marie. She smiled optimistically. "But I think we could all become the best of friends eventually." She looked at all of her friends. "Girls, there is this new girl, she is my second cousin, Josie. She's shy and antisocial, so please, be nice."

"Of course, girl!" Bridgette exclaimed. "Anyone who's a relative of Marie Flynn, no matter how distant, will always be a friend of mine!"

"Same here," added Rosa.

"Ditto," Sasha added.

Jazz didn't reply to Marie's statement. Instead, she was examining at Thomas, Steven, and Peter with emphasized disapproval on her face. "It really looks like that guy who is talking to Tom and Steven is gonna become a new member of the Gang." She sighed. "Tom, you are becoming more foolish by the minute..."

"Come on, Jazz!" Marie said. "Tommy is just getting himself new friends. I may not approve of them, but I've now learned to-"

"Learned to what?" asked Jazz angrily. "Stand by and let these psychopathic bastards take over Tom's mind and infect it? Do you REMEMBER all of those anarchic rants he's been giving us as of late? Do you remember the time he PUNCHED you?"

"Look, I know the Gang's been a bad influence on Tommy, but he's softened his association with them! Besides, I know that deep down, he would NEVER let all of the principles the Gang upholds get to his spirit. He's a strong guy, Tommy. He'll never let his morals be compromised by the likes of them."

Jazz scoffed. "You're being too lenient, girl! I can see with my own eyes that Tom is officially gone! But I think it is obvious that your judgment's been clouded!"

Marie's eyes widened at her friend's bitter remark, and she stood over Jazz, imposing a confrontational pose. "Excuse ME, Jazz! I think it's obvious that _your_ judgment has been clouded! Tom's acting nicer and nicer by the day! Why can't you just forgive him?"

"His nice attitude is probably just a little tactic the Gang taught him. He's probably trying to get back under your wing, Marie, so then he could manipulate it for his own dastardly purposes! Why can't _you_ just display at least a little suspicion towards his sudden change of attitude!"

"You are talking nonsense, _Jasmine_!" Marie spoke the name with emphasis; her impatience and fury was rising to uncontrollable levels. "Are you saying you're _used_ to the new Tommy? The one who punched me and shouted insults at me and bad-mouthed our friends?! Are you supporting the new Tommy, Jasmine?!"

Jazz's eyes widened in horror. "Oh, you didn't just call me by my FULL NAME!"

"YES, YES I DID!"

Before the situation could develop further, Bridgette chuckled nervously and stepped between the two defensively, while Sasha and Rosa watched apprehensively.

"Okay, okay," she said, "let's not fight, girls! There's no reason to!"

However, Marie narrowed her eyes menacingly at Jazz, and the Indian girl glared back similarly. The two teenage girls looked away from each other, huffing furiously, something breaking in half between them. Jazz then walked out of the room, Bridgette, Sasha, and Rosa looking after her. Rosa then turned to Marie.

"Marie, what in the world was THAT?!" she asked.

"What do you think?" replied Marie grumpily, crossing her arms.

"I think Jazz has a point in calling you lenient, girl. I mean, he PUNCHED you, for God's sake!"

"He's my friend, Rosa. I've known him for all my life. I know him to be better than this. ...And I thought you were the one who told me to get back together with him as soon as I can, otherwise we'd be more distant? Isn't that what you told me, Rosa?"

"Yeah, but still, he _punched_ you, Marie! I'd take that into consideration first before making any decisions-"

"He apologized to me, FYI," Marie interrupted quickly.

"Okay, so he did. But your attitude towards Jazz was still unsatisfactory, I have to say."

"So was hers."

And with that, Marie walked away from Rosa and entered the empty family room. Collapsing onto a sofa, she began to feel the reality of the situation pour into her.

She just lost her other best friend. Just when Marie thought everything was becoming perfect again, with Thomas resuming being her good friend, Jazz left the circle of friends that she treasured she dearly and deeply. One good thing in exchange for the loss of another. It was a bit ironic, now that she thought of it. The redheaded girl let out a heavy sigh and leaned against the sofa. She knew Jazz as long as she knew Thomas, and to lose Jazz as a friend might as well be like losing a sister.

"Are...Are you okay?" a female voice asked curiously and cautiously. Marie turned her head and saw that Josie was in the room, her book tucked under her shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Marie lied.

"Don't lie to me. I heard you arguing with that girl...what's her name?"

"Jazz." Marie sighed. "I'm now starting to regret it. She's my best friend, aside from Tommy."

"Tommy?"

"Oh, he's my step-cousin, a good person, even if he's a little gloomy." She sighed again. "I wonder what's happening to me. I got a friend back, but I lose another..."

"I'm afraid I don't have the question to that," replied Josie.

"Sorry, I wasn't asking you, Josie, I was asking myself." Marie looked up at the ceiling. "Being a teenager sucks. I keep losing friends from left to right, I'm having really bad problems with my boyfriend, and my dad's surveying my every moment now..."

"Oh." Josie placed her book down on a nearby table and sat down next to Marie on the sofa. "I'm sorry you feel that way."

"I know. Me too. Why can't things just go back to the way they once were?"

Josie smiled slightly. "I ask that same question myself."

"Really? Why? What happened to you?"

Josie suddenly turned pale. "I...I'd rather not talk about it..."

"Oh. Sorry." Marie then smiled. "You know, Josie, I like _To Kill a Mockingbird_. It's a very good book."

Josie looked at Marie directly, smiling brightly. "Yeah, it's my all-time favorite. Atticus Finch has got to be my favorite character out of the book. It takes a lot of bravery and compassion to defy the rules upheld by the community. I really wish all of the fathers in the world follow his example. The world would be a better place, then."

"My father's that way, brave, compassionate, and all," Marie replied, her chest swelling slightly in pride. "He's my Atticus Finch, if I do say so myself." She then looked at Josie curiously. "Hey, speaking of my dad, I didn't see your own dad when you guys came in. Where is he?"

Josie suddenly turned pale again, and Marie sensed that she had tread onto a serious subject, so she shook her head dismissively and patted the girl's shoulder.

"I'm glad we had this talk."

"Me too, Marie. You know, we cannot let what has happened affect us. Let's just move on. After all, I think things are becoming brighter for the both of us."

"I think you're right on that one."

Both girls smiled at each other, stood up, and walked out of the room.

* * *

As the Flynn-Fletcher family continued to greet their visitors, Xavier and Fred quietly slipped away from the scene, heading upstairs and entering the master bedroom. Fred closed the door behind them, while Xavier took out his cell phone and dialed a number before waiting for the other end to respond.

Finally, a voice answered, "Hello? Is it you?"

"It's me," Xavier replied impatiently. "I did what you told me to do. Now, tell me what happened to Dezz."

"A deal's a deal, Xavier. Anyway, Dezz has been acting strangely because she was attacked on October 8."

"WHAT?!" exclaimed Xavier, startling Fred, nearly dropping his phone. "_Who_ the hell did this to her?!"

"Adam and his cronies. I promise you, Xavier, they have done nothing..._overly terrible_ to her. They've only diminished her self-worth."

Xavier's eyes narrowed, and his face turned red in fury. Fred's eyes widened in surprise and he gulped nervously.

* * *

**Next Episode Summary:** As they help Josie and Peter adjust to their new environment in Danville High, Marie begins to sense that their parents are hiding something from them. Meanwhile, details are shed about Xavier's mysterious contact, and the deal the two struck.

* * *

**A/N:** YES! I AM DONE! It took me a freaking while to write this down, and now, I'M FINALLY DONE! For some reason, I didn't like how this episode turned out, but this is what I have for you guys, so please, deal with it if you see any problems.

I'd like to thank those who reviewed (cannot answer reviews right now, sorry):

**DMC7500**

**damonika2009**

**thedoraemons7**

**Deborahpflover**

**TheNargana**

**ayahsad167**

**Cute as a button22**

**random guy (guest reviewer)**

**14AmyChan**

**Axis22**

**Da Darkest Knight**

**humanusscriptor**

**Liseegirl**

Well, hope you enjoyed this chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!


	18. A Strange Message

**A/N:** OH. MY. FLIPPING. GOD. I am SO SORRY for the delay! I have been trying to finish "Midsummer Tragedy", work on new stories, and collaborate with DMC7500. But now, I've finally had enough time to post this quick little episode! ENJOY!

**IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS:**

-Marie Flynn DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Angelus19 and sam-ely-ember.  
-Thomas Fletcher DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Melty19.  
-Jasmine Rai DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to sam-ely-ember and Melty19.  
-Bridgette Clark DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Orthgirl123, Angelus19, and sam-ely-ember.  
-Destiny "Dezz" Horowitz DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Ciomy.  
-Daniel or "Danny" DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Ciomy.

* * *

**Episode 18: A Strange Message**

* * *

_**October 29, 2035**_

_**"Good morning, Danville. Our top story. **__**Just a few minutes ago, a robbery took place at the Marshtown Community Bank. Five gunmen, all of them wearing Halloween masks, fled with an unspecified amount of cash, as well as a hostage, in a getaway van.**_

_**"Just yesterday, a similar robbery occurred at the Jefferson City Bank. These five perpetrators fled with not only money, but also a hostage, who was later found dead the following night. This shocking aspect of yesterday's bank robbery is the reason local police at Marshtown are working as fast as they can to find the robbers and rescue the hostage, identified as 29-year-old Samantha Carter, who worked as a bank teller. Today was supposed to be her day off.**_

_**"Everyone in the Tri-State Area is urged to be on the lookout for a rusty, purple Subaru hover-van with Colorado license plates. Anyone who has seen such a vehicle is urged to call police and not confront the owners. Now, onto the next story, a new attack by the Tri-State Rapist..."**_

"Aw, that's just sad," Marie said as Phineas turned off the TV in disgust. Both were sitting at the kitchen table, while Isabella was busy taking out the laundry. "Why're people being so _cruel_ nowadays, Daddy? It's just not fair for everyone else."

"They just don't know how to seize the day, honey," the inventor replied, shaking his head disapprovingly as he began reading the newspaper. "That always helps."

"Hopefully they find that woman. She doesn't deserve to die too, like that guy from yesterday." Marie resumed eating her cereal and reading an English textbook, just as Phineas suddenly lowered the newspaper, staring at his daughter seriously.

"Marie?" he asked.

"Yes, Daddy?" replied Marie, not looking up.

"About last Tuesday..."

Marie looked up at her father. "If you're gonna apologize to me, Daddy, it is _me_ who should be apologizing to you. I'm sorry for yelling at you, Daddy. I know you were concerned for my well-being. It's just that I love Adam, and he loves me. I swear to God that I'm going easy with him, Daddy."

Phineas raised an eyebrow. "Are you?"

"Yes, Daddy."

"That's good." Phineas smiled proudly. "I know that you know better than to have-" He looked around to see if Isabella was in the room, before continuing. "-_sex_ with Adam, Marie. You're a good person, capable of making the right decisions. You are a good daughter, the one any dad, _any_ parent would ever ask for, and I am proud of being your dad. Just...Please, whatever you do, don't disappoint me. Me and Mom. Is that understood, Marie?"

"I understand, Daddy," Marie replied, smiling.

"Good." Phineas resumed reading his newspaper, and Marie her textbook, seconds before Isabella reentered the room.

"I heard you guys talking about something," she said. "Whatcha' talkin' about?"

"You know, the average father-daughter stuff," lied Phineas, scratching his ear. However, the raised newspaper obstructed Isabella's view, so she merely nodded.

"That's good." She walked towards the kitchen sink to wash her hands. "Phineas, I'm going to the grocery store. Do you want anything?"

"Anything but zucchini."

"Naturally. And you, Marie?"

"Anything but zucchini."

Isabella rolled her eyes as she wiped her hands. "Like father, like daughter, I suppose," she remarked. "Oh, and Phineas, remember, we have to get to Ferb's later."

Marie sensed a change in her father's voice as he replied, "I haven't forgotten."

"Ooh, we get to go to Uncle Ferb's?" asked Marie excitedly.

"_You_ cannot come," Isabella replied, suddenly using a harsh voice that surprised the red-haired girl. "It is a matter for the adults only. As a matter of fact, we're gonna be teleporting Thomas, Jazz, Amanda, Xavier, and Fred here. Marie, you guys behave yourselves. As the adult, Amanda's in charge, so follow everything she says."

"Wait, you're gonna be using _the teleporter_?"

Like everyone else, the Flynn-Fletcher family possessed a teleportation device, but they never used it...except on _emergencies_...

"Yes," Isabella replied. Then, her voice returned to normal as she continued, "Well, today is gonna be Josie's first day at Danville High. Hey, maybe you could introduce her to your friends, Marie! You're popular, you'll be able to get her lots of friends!"

"I guess..." However, Marie remained suspicious.

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" asked Peter apprehensively as he and Thomas walked towards the main entrance of Danville High. He eyed students warily as they looked back at him, unsure as to why a student like him was hanging out with a member of the infamous Duster Rebel Gang.

"Trust me, Peter, these guys are awesome," Thomas replied.

"If you insist..."

The two teenager boys then turned right from the main entrance, towards the hill next to the school cafeteria, where the Gang frequented. Indeed, there stood Evan, Z, Max, Byron, Raoul, Floyd, and Lloyd. Evan spotted Thomas and Peter and nodded at the former.

"Thomas, my man," greeted Evan, giving Thomas a high-five. "Who's this?"

"My cousin, Peter," Thomas said. "He's agreed to join the Gang."

"Join the Gang, eh?" Evan smiled and nodded approvingly as he looked up and down at Peter, inspecting his features. "The Gang always is in need of more members, especially after the unexpected and certainly _unwanted_ departure of one of our own..." His eyes narrowed darkly and menacingly; Thomas knew that he was thinking about Steven, whose resignation from the Gang had angered him severely.

Z sensed Evan's current mood as well and, in an attempt to change the mood, he said, "Anyway, on with the show! Peter, it doesn't take merely a show-up to get you access to the ranks of the Duster Rebel Gang. In order to officially join, you must pass the trial we have for you."

"Trial?" asked Peter fearfully, taking a slight step backward in apprehension. "I-I don't _know_-"

"Come on, man, you can do it," Thomas said encouragingly. "Have no fear about the trial. I felt the same way you did, but I now look back at those trials and see them as pieces of cake. I honestly doubt you're gonna be assigned the same trials I was given when I applied."

Peter looked at Thomas, who nodded. "I...I guess... If you say so..."

"Of course that's what Thomas says," said Evan. "After all, he's one of our main guys. Upper-class recruiter, I might say. Now, Peter, do not worry about facing the trial just yet, for we will save that for later in the day. Let's just get you integrated to this godforsaken school. I haven't seen you around before this year."

"That's 'cause I moved from England."

"England, huh?" Max asked. "Quite the sophisticated country. It's a shame it's in that economic recession right now."

Evan scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Money. It always screws things up for everyone..."

The Gang walked into the cafeteria, which was already filled with several students. A group of students sitting at the table nearest to them quickly scrambled away in fear, something that Peter quickly took notice of. He bit his lip nervously and he looked at Thomas cautiously, but didn't speak.

The Gang then entered a hallway, where Evan groaned upon seeing some familiar faces.

"Great, if it isn't Adam's bang-toy, the oblivious Indian bitch, the dumb blondie, the two sluts..." He spotted Josie and smiled strangely. "...and the girl I don't know..."

Josie didn't look up from her book. In fact, it obscured her face, so no one could see her reaction.

"Hello yourself," Marie spat at Evan nastily. She then looked at Thomas. "Tommy, can Jazz and I talk to you in private?"

Thomas nodded, but then, Evan stepped between him and Marie, while Byron marched up to the red-haired girl, cracking his knuckles threateningly.

"I don't think so," Evan snarled savagely. "Flynn, you have interacted with our brother for long enough. We shall not let you poison his mind any further with your so-called rhetoric of _compassion_ and _forgiveness_." He put a jeering emphasis on the two words. "Thomas doesn't deserve your forgiveness, not after what you did to him."

Marie's eyes narrowed. "Listen here, Mr. High-and-Mighty, Tommy's been my friend longer than he has been yours. What makes you think he will listen to you?"_  
_

Evan's eyes widened in anger, and he towered over Marie, who firmly held her ground. Sensing a fight ahead, Thomas stepped between Evan and Marie.

"Evan, it's okay, I've got this," he said.

"No, you _don't_. Thomas, I don't _like_ your hanging around with Marie more frequently. I fear for your mind, man..."

"I said I'VE GOT THIS," snarled Thomas. He and Evan narrowed their eyes at one another.

Max, also sensing a fight in the development, walked up to Evan and tapped his shoulder, catching his attention.

"Come on, man," he said, "if Thomas says he has it under control, then let's trust him on this! After all, you don't wanna let our _upper-class recruiter_ go...right?"

Evan gritted his teeth as he looked back at Thomas, who smirked at him. The older boy growled and clenched his fists, as if he were itching to punch Thomas with all of his might. However, he thought better of it and merely turned his back on Thomas with a swish of his coat.

"If you insist," he said to Max. "Alright, _Thomas_, you can talk with your damn girlfriend if you want to. We'll just be getting onto the _more important stuff_. Like getting ol' Peter here inducted into our brotherhood. I assure you, man, you are missing out." He nudged his head towards the opposite direction. "Come on, boys, let's get the hell out of here. I don't wanna stay here with these _populars_ for any fucking longer."

All of the Gang members escorted Peter away from the scene, except for Z, who remained with Thomas, Marie, Jazz, Bridgette, Sasha, Rosa, and Josie. However, all of his attention was on Rosa only; she was looking away nervously. His expression softened, and Marie and Thomas caught what appeared to be a _glint_ in his eye as he turned to the opposite direction and followed his comrades. When they went out of his eyesight, Thomas turned to Marie.

"Alright, you said Jazz and you wanted to talk?" he asked.

"Yeah," Marie replied. "Brid, Sasha, Rosa, watch Josie for me, okay?"

Josie's attention was finally piqued. "What?!" she exclaimed, horrified. "Marie, please don't leave me alone!"

"Josie, it's gonna be okay. Brid, Sasha, and Rosa are great friends, they'll treat you well. Right, girls?"

"Sure, girl," Bridgette said honestly, nodding at Marie, who nodded back before looking at Josie seriously.

"Josie, you're gonna have to trust me on this. I have to talk with Tommy and Jazz alone. It's a personal matter. Besides, in order to make good friends, I believe having some time alone with them is effective." She placed her hands on Josie's shoulders. "Do you trust me, Josie?"

Josie reluctantly nodded. Marie smiled at her before escorting Thomas and Jazz down the hallway.

* * *

Evan tutted as he watched Marie lead Thomas and Jazz down the hallway. He then faced Byron, who was shaking his head disapprovingly.

"This is NOT acceptable," Evan growled. He then smiled craftily. "I'm hoping you have the recording of that conversation from last week..."

Byron smiled back, produced his cell phone, turned it on, and pressed a button. Thomas and Steven's voices blared out from it.

_"What the hell, Steven?"_

_"What?!"_

_"A day after we make up, and you're becoming too close to Marie for comfort-"_

_"Hey, she's just being friendly to me! I know how much you have a crush on her, Thomas. I know I can't do that to you!"_

Evan's smile widened. "_Excellent_..." he said.

* * *

Thomas walked alongside Marie and Jazz down the hallway heading towards the main entrance. All the while, he could feel Jazz's vengeful, hateful stare boring down on him like drills. However, he ignored her and merely stared down the hallway. That was when he spotted Fred leaning against a wall near the entrance.

"Fred, we've got Tommy," Marie said.

"Great," replied Fred, seemingly relieved at the announcement. "Now, what is it that we have to talk about?"

"Wait, where's Xavier?"

Fred shrugged. "I don't know. He said he had to run off to the bathroom, but that was, like, fifteen minutes ago..."

"Okay, forget it. This is urgent. Guys, have any of you noticed any strange behavior from your parents lately?"

"I overheard my mom telling my dad yesterday that they are gonna teleport me to your house," Thomas replied. "Which I find strange, since we only use the teleporter solely for emergencies. But other than that, no, nothing strange from them at all."

"I didn't hear anything out of the ordinary from my parents," said Jazz.

"My parents' voices have sounded strangely tight for the past week," Fred said. "Why, Marie? What about your parents?"

"They say they're gonna meet up with Tommy's parents at their house today and that we can't come along. An adult matter, they've said. And judging by the fact that they'll teleport you, Tommy, Xavier, Amanda, and Jazz to my house, it seems that your parents are meeting up with them. There's no doubt Uncle Buford's coming too, since you don't have a reunion without my parents, Uncle Ferb, Uncle Baljeet, and Uncle Buford being together."

"I'm pretty sure it's just a meeting that concerns the grownups only, girl," Jazz said.

"But the fact that they're using the teleporters, and Fred's point that his parents have sounded strange for the past week, it's just all too convenient!"

"Chillax, girl! That's not enough evidence! You're worrying too much, girl."

"What makes you think I'd worry too much, Jazz?"

"Oh, like the time my dad found a condom in my purse!" shouted Marie, a bit too loudly that everyone in the hallway heard her. She then covered her mouth in shock; she hadn't told anyone else of Phineas's discovery, not even Thomas, Jazz, Xavier, or Fred.

"M-Marie?" asked Thomas, horrified. "Y-You've got a c-_condom_..." He choked up for a moment. "...in your _purse_?"

"I swear, it wasn't used!" Marie exclaimed.

"Jesus, girl, what're you doing, screwing around?!" cried Jazz.

"Wait a minute!" Thomas said. "You...You didn't..._do it_ with ADAM, did you?"

"NO!" shouted Marie defensively. "We're going off-topic here, guys, we have to stay on-task-"

"You're the one who brought this on you!" Fred said.

"YOU KNOW WHAT, FINE! FINE! IF YOU GUYS DON'T THINK THAT SOMETHING'S GOING ON, AND IF YOU GUYS ARE GONNA TURN AGAINST ME BECAUSE I HAVE, OR HAD, A CONDOM IN MY PURSE, THEN I'M NOT GONNA BEAR WITH THIS ANYMORE! MARIE IS OUT! PEACE!"

"Marie, wait..." pleaded Thomas, but it was too late. Marie had already stormed off.

* * *

Xavier walked over to the five tall trees that stood on a hill beside the school swimming pool. The position he was in allowed him a good view of the pool and the area surrounding it. He leaned against one of the trees, looking around, as if in wait for someone.

Indeed, a twig suddenly snapped, and the blond-haired boy twirled around, staring at a person who was standing under the shade of one of the trees. Xavier gulped nervously at the man's appearance: he wore a large brown trench-coat, just like those belonging to the Gang, black jeans, a white shirt, black boots, and a large hat that obscured most of his face; the parts of it that could be seen was swathed with _surgical bandages_...

"Hello, Xavier," the man greeted.

"What the hell do you think you're _doing_?!" snarled Xavier. "You called me while I was having breakfast! Damn it, d'you have any idea of the pressure I was in?"

"Huh. So _that's_ why you kept telling me what you were having for breakfast." The man shrugged. "Anyway, we're here."

"Yeah. Now, what is it you want from me now? I did what you asked me to do, you told me what happened to Dezz. What more do I have to DO for you?! D'you have any IDEA of all the things I had to DO in order to get you what you WANTED?! HUH?! I'm relieved right now that the police haven't showed up in my front door yet-"

"Yes, I'm well aware," interrupted the strange man, "and I'm _proud_ of picking you as the person to carry out the job for me. You express determination well, boy. Fred should be lucky to have a brother like you, Xavier, very proud indeed."

Xavier's eyes narrowed. "What IS IT with you and Fred?!" he snapped angrily, kicking at the ground and sending dirt flying. "You keep mentioning him more than even you would talk to me, so why didn't you just use him instead, if you speak so highly of him?"

The man glared at Xavier. "So, you're willing to let your brother take the fall for you, instead of the other way around?"

"No, not really. Look, you're really confusing me here, with the lack of details you're providing me! Who the hell ARE you?! What do you WANT?! Exactly how can I even be sure to TRUST YOU? I've put myself on the line for the sake of Fred, Dezz, and all those others you've mentioned to me! TELL ME!"

The man chuckled, and even though the entirety of his face was swathed in his bandages, Xavier could sense a smile forming on his face.

"You'll see soon..."

And in a flash, the man suddenly disappeared.

"HEY!" Xavier roared, running over to the spot where the man once stood, as if he were still there. "HEY, COME BACK HERE! WHERE THE HELL DID YOU GO?! YOU COME BACK, YOU BASTARD; I'M NOT FINISHED WITH YOU! GET BACK HERE! COME BACK! COME BACK! **COME BACK! AAARRRGGGHHH!**"

* * *

Xavier didn't know that someone was watching him. It wasn't the bandage-faced man, but someone else, whose facial features were obscured by a drawn red hood. He stood at the edge of a fenced-off cliff that towered a few yards above Danville High, allowing him a good view of everyone down below.

The man entered a hover-van and sat in the driver's seat, brooding. At the back of the van were pictures of a crime scene at the Jefferson City Bank; a handheld TV set currently on a news channel, which talked about the Marshtown bank robbery and abduction; photos of Fred, Dezz, Raoul, and twenty-one other teenagers; photos of Phineas and Ferb through the years; and, most of all, a case and DVD of 'Bullets of Glory VII'.

* * *

**Next Episode Summary:** On the eve of Halloween, Marie gets back together with her friends from the Fireside Girls, and they all go on a shopping spree. Meanwhile, a bank robbery turns south, and the robbers flee into the New Googolplex Mall, where Marie is at...

* * *

**A/N:** After much delay, I finally got this up! Probably not the best chapter, but with a lot of development.

I'd like to thank those who reviewed:

**damonika2009:** She will, eventually.

**FanFicCriTicTheThird**

**Cute as a button22:** Thanks. :D

**Deborahpflover:** Unfortunately, we're gonna be seeing more OCs in the next chapter...

**Guest reviewer:** ?

**Da Darkest Knight:** I think I can handle it. I'm not really naming most of Thomas's cousins anyway.

**Are u kidding me (guest reviewer):** Sorry, no can do. That's what I've got.

**Monkey Lover 911 (guest reviewer):** Who do you think Xavier's contact is?

**random guy (guest reviewer)**

**14AmyChan**

**izzylover1426 (guest reviewer):** I don't take requests.

**woodland5 (guest reviewer):** OH MY GOD, YOU'RE FINALLY BACK! YES! THANKS FOR THE REVIEW!

Well, hope you enjoyed this chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!


	19. Devil's Night, Part 1

**A/N:** Sorry for the delay, everyone! I had finally fulfilled my goal of expanding my interests beyond "Phineas and Ferb" and "Simpsons" by publishing a comeback story to the "Pokémon" fandom, which I once was a member of, but I retired, until now. The story's called "Return of the Hero", and some of my fans from here have followed me over there. So, if you like "Pokémon", especially the show (even if the quality's not at its best), I recommend checking it out! I already got four chapters dished out!

Alright, enough rambling! ENJOY!

**P.S.:** If anyone didn't notice, I deleted the Prologue chapter. It was too short and unnecessary for my liking. Be sure to review anonymously if you have to!

**IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS:**

-Marie Flynn DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Angelus19 and sam-ely-ember.  
-Thomas Fletcher DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Melty19.  
-Jasmine Rai DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to sam-ely-ember and Melty19.  
-Bridgette Clark DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Orthgirl123, Angelus19, and sam-ely-ember.

* * *

**Episode 19: Devil's Night, Part 1**

* * *

**_October 30, 2035_**

**_"Good morning, Danville. We've received an update on yesterday's robbery at the Marshtown Bank. 29-year-old Samantha Carter, who was abducted from the bank during the robbery, has been found dead in an alleyway at Danville's southern side. The city has now been placed on a Code Blue alert for the five robbers and killers, who continue to remain at large and are presumed to be armed and extremely dangerous."_**

* * *

Marie sighed with frustration as she continued organizing a pile of tests and papers at Mr. Blake's request. Today was her second detention of the year, of her _life_, and it was unanimously worse than the last one. First, Mr. Blake had ordered her and the other students in detention to carry a number of heavy boxes to the other side of the school. Next, she had to write a very humiliating essay that explained why she did what she did to land herself in detention, and how she'll never do it again.

She, however, found a slight comfort in the fact that Steven was also in detention, and to think, she initially distrusted him. Now, the two had become good friends.

"You okay?" he asked the moment she let out another sigh.

"Yeah," she replied, smiling slightly. "You know, Steven, I just wanna say I'm sorry."

"Sorry? Sorry for what?"

"For treating you badly before. At first, I thought you were bullying Tommy. But you really do seem to care for him and his well-being. Like he's your brother."

"He _is_ my brother," said Steven, looking away. "Adam was never my brother."

Marie sighed once again as she resumed her duties. Though she considered Steven as her friend, she still disliked his bitter contempt towards her boyfriend. However, she now knew better than to speak out about it. Besides, things have been emotionally better for him since he dropped out of the Gang. He was now hanging out with her more frequently, and more open about his emotions whenever the two talked.

"So, Marie," Steven suddenly said, "what're you gonna be for Halloween? It _is_ gonna be Halloween tomorrow."

"Well, I don't really know. I'm gonna go shopping with the girls at the New Googolplex Mall, see what we can find. Maybe you should come, Steven."

Steven gave the redhead a flat look. "A guy going with a group of girls on a shopping spree at the mall. Really?"

Marie lightly punched Steven in the shoulder. "Come on, it'll be fun! Maybe you can hook up with a cute girl over there! Hey, my cousin Josie's single, maybe she's-"

"I honestly don't find looking for clothes and trying them on fun," interrupted Steven. "So, thanks, Marie, but no thanks. Besides, I'm gonna meet up with Thomas and Peter. We have a little something planned out for tomorrow. And plus, I already know a cute girl I can hook up with."

"Really?" asked Marie. "Who is it?"

Steven blinked, looking shocked. "It's a secret," he quickly replied.

"Come on, Steven, I won't tell anyone! Pinkie promise!"

Steven smiled slightly as Marie raised her pinkie at him. "Okay, I'll only tell you a hint. _One hint_."

Marie smirked. "I think I'll be able to figure it out."

"It's someone we both know."_  
_

It was silent for a moment as Marie tried to think about who the mystery girl is. Finally, she shrugged.

"I'm clueless."

"HEY, NO TALKING! GET BACK TO WORK!" a voice screeched. Mr. Blake had stepped into the fray, his arms crossed.

"Yes, sir..." Steven replied quietly as he and Marie resumed their duties.

* * *

"THIS IS **UNACCEPTABLE**!" Evan roared at Thomas. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU, PETE, AND STEVEN HAVE PLANNED ANYWAY?!"

"It's something we agreed to keep a secret until we properly unveil it, Evan," replied Thomas calmly. "Sorry, Evan, but I'm gonna have to postpone my recruit station."

"This is the third time this month you've done so! ...I'm starting to worry, man. You've been recently hanging out with that Marie bitch more than you do with us!"

"Look, man, I haven't forgotten about my commitment to the Gang and Operation: Red Thunder, but Marie and I have been friends for as long as I can remember. She asked for forgiveness in her abandoning me in favor of popularity, and I forgave her. And I know she's still dating Adam, which is why I am still with you guys. But look, our friendship matters the most in my life, and I'm not willing to throw it away. So sorry, Evan, but this is my final word."

"You're making a terrible mistake, man," snarled Evan. "You've been lucky so far in me going easy with you and your meetings with that bitch, but my patience wanes-"

"Don't call Marie a bitch!" Thomas interrupted angrily. "She's the smartest, kindest person I know, and you don't know her that well if you're calling her a bitch!"

"She's gotta be a bitch for ditching you in favor of that psychopathic bastard!"

"Well, she still has time for me, and I'm glad of that. Now if you'll excuse me, Evan, I gotta go meet up with Steven and Peter."

And with that, Thomas walked away from Evan, towards the school cafeteria where they were standing in front of. The bell had just rung, signaling the end of another school day, and the beginning of everyone's Wednesday off, since it was Halloween.

"You're making a _terrible mistake_, Thomas..." Evan snarled again as Thomas entered the cafeteria, where Peter was sitting at a table.

* * *

"Hey, girl," Bridgette greeted, smiling widely as Marie escorted her, Jazz, Sasha, and Rosa into the Flynn house. All five girls were wearing their best purses, and Sasha also had a portable camera slung over her shoulder. "How was detention in Mr. Blake's class?"

"Terrible," replied Marie, shaking her head as the four girls entered the kitchen, where Josie was reading a book. "Just terrible. Mr. Blake's such a meanie."

"Well, at least you're out of detention," Rosa said, "and that means we can do some shopping at the New Googolplex Mall! EEK!"

The other girls also squealed in excitement. Josie lowered her book, an unsatisfied expression etched on her face.

"Yay," she replied in an unenthusiastic, sarcastic tone. Everyone glared at her curiously.

* * *

The National Bank of the Tri-State Area was currently experiencing one of its usual busy days. The large room was occupied with people discussing with employees at polished wooden tables, while bank tellers gave or accepted sums of money from customers. Outside, there was a small line of people that was standing in front of an ATM, the person in front, an elderly man, struggling to figure out how to operate the machine and make his withdrawal.

"Oh, how do you work this thing..." the man moaned as he inspected the ATM.

"Oh, you've gotta be _kidding me_..." a woman behind the man groaned angrily while her husband tapped his foot with frustration.

At the very rear of the line, Katie Barnes sighed in frustration and checked her watch. She was supposed to drop off her daughter Melinda at the New Googolplex Mall in five minutes, but it was obvious that it would no longer be the case. Adjusting her blonde hair, she took out her cell phone and began texting her husband to tell him to take over the duty. As she did, she began to wonder over whether she should contact her old friend Isabella or not.

No one noticed the rusty, purple Subaru hover-van settle into a vacant space in the parking lot. Seconds later, five people quickly got out of the vehicle, all armed with large laser-weapons. One wore a clown mask, another wore a devil mask, the third wore an alien mask, the fourth wore a scarecrow mask, and the fifth had surgical bandages wrapped around his face. The clown and the alien aimed their weapons at the people in front of the ATM.

"I WANNA SEE HANDS IN THE SKY! NOW!" ordered the clown.

Everyone gasped and held up their hands in the air. Katie tried to quickly put away her cell phone, but the alien spotted it and aimed his laser-pistol at her face.

"Don't even think about it," he snarled. "Drop it."

Katie immediately dropped it. A split-second later, the alien stomped his foot over the phone and ground it against the cement until it became nothing more than a pile of metal pieces. The clown and the alien then ushered her and the other customers into the bank, where the scarecrow fired his laser-rifle three times into the ceiling.

"EVERYONE, GET DOWN ON THE GODDAMN FLOOR!" the devil hollered. Several people screamed, but everyone except for the bank tellers obliged. Katie found herself lying face-down on the carpet, the bandage-faced man standing just a few inches away from her.

The alien and the scarecrow aimed their weapons at the bank tellers while the clown tossed them two bags.

"Put all of the cash in the registers in these bags," instructed the scarecrow. "Quickly now!"

The tellers all nodded, opened up their registers, and began stuffing money into the two bags. Meanwhile, the devil took a glance at a nearby office and saw, through one of its windows, the bank manager attempting to reach under his desk. The devil fired a shot at the window, shattering it and grazing the manager's forehead.

"DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!"

However, the manager didn't listen. He managed to press something underneath the desk. The devil roared out in anger and fired a laser at the manager, hitting him. Several people screamed out, and the other four robbers glared at their accomplice.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" screamed the alien.

"THE MANAGER TRIGGERED THE ALARM!" replied the devil. "WE GOTTA MOVE FAST!"

"Okay," the scarecrow said. He aimed his weapon at two bank tellers that currently had the two bags of money. "Okay, vault, NOW! GO, GO, **GO**!"

The tellers nodded and ran towards the vault door as the scarecrow followed. One frantically opened it up by typing in a code into a keyboard, while the other dashed inside, opened up several shelves, and emptied their contents and putting them into the two bags.

"HURRY UP, HURRY UP!" barked the alien.

"DAMN IT, IS THAT AS FAST AS YOU IDIOTS CAN **GO**?!" the scarecrow snarled.

"Please, we're going as fast as we can," begged one of the tellers. "Just don't kill us-"

"WE'LL KILL YOU IF YOU DON'T HURRY THE HELL UP! **GO, GO, GO!**"

Meanwhile, the clown and the bandage-faced man looked out of a window overlooking the parking lot, and saw, to their shock, two police cruisers pulling up.

"We've got trouble, guys!" the clown shouted. "Boys in blue!"

"DAMN IT!" screamed the devil. He immediately fired his weapon, hitting the two tellers, before gathering the two bags and regrouping with his accomplices. "FORGET THE REST OF THE MONEY; WE'RE NOT GETTING ARRESTED NOW! LET'S SCRAM, QUICKLY!"

"Out there into all those cops?" the clown asked. "I don't think so."

"Don't worry, guys." The bandage-faced man had spoken. "We've got one thing the cops don't have. And that is _all of them_..."

He pointed at the hostages. Katie whimpered in fear.

Outside, more police cruisers, plus a SWAT hover-van, had gathered around the parking lot. Officers and SWAT agents escorted nearby civilians away from the bank as snipers positioned themselves on the roofs of the nearest buildings. As officers set up a tent and communications devices behind the SWAT van, Commissioner Donald Kestler approached Lieutenant Sasha Easton, who was currently inspecting the bank.

"What have we got, Lieutenant?" the police commissioner asked.

"It's the same guys from the Marshtown and Jefferson City bank robberies and murders. They've got 36 hostages inside, and we might already have fatalities."

"Have you managed to contact them yet?"

"Not yet. We're still setting up. So far, it looks like the perps aren't doing anything else other than standing there and planning their next move."

"We've got movement!" a SWAT agent suddenly shouted. Kestler, Easton, and the officers watched as the bank's entrance doors slowly opened up. Dozens of people began cautiously walking out of the bank, their hands held up high in the air.

"Are they _surrendering_?" Easton asked.

"Maybe, but we better be on our guard, Lieutenant..." Kestler replied as he slowly drew his laser-pistol. Suddenly, he saw that five of the people standing in the crowd were wearing Halloween masks; he aimed his pistol, as did the other officers. "POLICE, GET DOWN ON THE GROUND!"

The five men instantly obliged and laid themselves face-down on the concrete sidewalk. Several officers ran forward to make the arrests as the hostages dispersed in multiple directions. Kestler approached the five men and watched as the officers tore off the Halloween masks. The commissioner gasped upon seeing their mouths, all duct-taped shut, and began looking around the parking lot as SWAT agents began to move through the perimeter of the bank, their guns drawn.

"We've been tricked, Commissioner!" exclaimed Easton as she ran up to him.

"I noticed," Kestler replied.

"You didn't let me finish, Commissioner. Escapees have told me that the robbers still have four hostages, and that they all managed to make a run for it while we were distracted with those five phonies. Those nine could be anywhere at this point."

"Damn it," snapped the commissioner. "Okay, put an alert out for officers in a five-mile radius. Tell them to look for anyone suspicious, and to not approach them if they are spotted. They've abducted witnesses before; who's to say they'll be willing to release these hostages alive."

* * *

"You have fun, girls!" Isabella exclaimed as Marie, Josie, Jazz, Bridgette, Sasha, and Rosa stepped out of her hovermobile and made their way into the Clark's Clothing Coast store of the New Googolplex Mall. All of the girls but Josie were squealing and talking excitedly; Josie continued to read her book.

"I wonder what kind of Halloween costumes they've got in the mall right now," Sasha said.

"Hopefully a princess costume," replied Bridgette. "I wanna look good for the boys at my Halloween party tomorrow!"

"Oh, yeah, I forgot about that!" Rosa exclaimed. "I'll be sure to wear something extra-special, then!"

"What do you wanna go as, Marie?" Jazz asked, looking at Marie.

"Well..." Marie pondered over her decision for a moment. "...I was thinking of going as a cat. I like cats; they are my third-most favorite animal, behind platypuses and Chihuahuas. Besides, I remember hearing Adam saying that he thinks cats are cute, so, naturally..."

"Ah, trying to impress good ol' Adam, huh?" Sasha elbowed Marie lightly as the group entered the store. "Don't worry, I think you'll look very cute in a cat costume, no doubt about it." She cast a kind glance at Josie as she continued to read silently. "How about you, Josie? What're you can dress up as for Halloween?"

"I'm not gonna go," Josie replied quietly.

"Why not?" asked Bridgette. "I like reading as much as you do, but I think it's time you pulled your nose out of books and learned to live the good life with friends! You are lucky I invited you to my Halloween party; any other girl would've probably seen you as weird and decided not to."

"BRIDGETTE!" Marie snapped as Josie lowered her book, a shocked expression on her face. "Don't say Josie's weird!"

"I didn't say _I_ saw her as weird!" protested Bridgette defensively. "I was just trying to be a good friend, that's all."

"She's a bit touchy on these kind of things, just let her be."

"Sorry."

Just then, a voice cried out, "OMG, MARIE, JAZZ!"

The six girls watched as six more girls, all squealing in excitement, crowded around Marie and Jazz and began hugging them both. Much to Bridgette, Sasha, Rosa, and Josie's surprises, Marie and Jazz _laughed_ as they returned the hugs. When the eight girls all parted, Marie smiled widely.

"Oh my goodness, it's SO GREAT to see you guys again!" she exclaimed.

"How are you, Marie and Jazz?" one of the girls, who was African-American sporting smooth black hair with dyed-brown streaks.

"I'm doing fine, Jenny!"

"Oh, it's really great to see you girls again!" exclaimed Jazz happily.

"Same here," the girl named Jenny replied.

"Hey, Brid, Sasha, Rosa, Josie!" cried Marie. "You girls should meet our friends from the Fireside Girls! This is Jenny-" She pointed at the African-American girl. "-Sandy-" She pointed at a blonde, petite girl wearing circular glasses. "-Carla-" She pointed at a dark-skinned girl of Asian descent with sleek and shiny black hair. "-Ellie-" She pointed at a slightly heavyset brown-haired girl with freckles and pimples on her face. "-Janet-" She pointed at a girl with messy dark-brown hair with a bottom curve. "-and Melinda." She pointed at a girl whose blonde hair was tied into two ponytails.

"It's nice to meet you girls," Sasha said. "Especially if you're old friends of Marie and Jazz. Oh, they're the most wonderful girls!"

"It's nice to meet you too," replied Melinda. "I hope you're taking good care of our favorite girls?"

"Yeah, they're awesome, very awesome," Bridgette said, patting Marie and Jazz's shoulders.

"So, I'm betting you're here to shop for Halloween clothes too, huh?" asked Janet.

"Yep," Jazz replied.

"We can join you guys!" exclaimed Carla. "It'll be fun!"

"Maybe we will," said Marie. "Come on, girls, let's go have some fun!"

The girls all squealed in excitement and walked further into the store, leaving behind a confused Josie, whom they all had immediately forgotten about. She eventually sighed and ran off after them. She knew that this was going to be a very long day...

* * *

As he watched several paramedics pull out the bodies of the manager and the two tellers from the bank, Kestler shook his head disapprovingly. During his many years working as an officer in the Danville Police Department, he seen quite a number of nightmarish stuff, worthy of material made from the trauma-riddled memories of war veterans. Murders, abductions, assaults, robberies..._rapes_... It does take a toll even on the most experienced officer...

"What have you got, Easton?" the commissioner asked, having heard the police lieutenant run up behind him.

"Five men holding four other people at gunpoint have carjacked a pickup truck and wounded the driver," replied Easton. "The descriptions of the hostages match those of the four people abducted from the bank. We've got two officers currently trailing them from a safe distance."

"Good. So, who are the hostages?"

"We've got Kevin Wong, a 42-year-old physics professor at Danville University; 25-year-old Gary Arnett, an employee at the Slushy Dawg restaurant; Gail Taylor, a 19-year-old Australian exchange student attending Danville University, no relation to Kevin Wong; and 35-year-old Katie Richards, a white-collar office worker."

Kestler sighed heavily. "All of them innocent people...someone's parent...someone's child..."

"We'll got 'em, Commissioner. They're still in the area; they can't get far now."

* * *

"We need to get the hell outta this goddamn joint," snapped the devil, who had taken off his mask, revealing the worried face of a slightly heavyset man sporting spiky blond hair. "Oh my freaking God, Brennan, where the hell are we taking us?"

"Calm down, will you, Nathan?!" screamed the clown, a red-haired man with a bushy mustache. "I'm trying to think!"

"Well, think harder, damn it!"

"Guys, SHUT UP!" the alien, a tall and thin man with wiry brown hair, snapped. "Tony's trying to _think_ here."

Unlike his comrades, the bandage-faced man named Tony was still wearing a mask; he apparently had a lot of surgical bandage to spare. Indeed, he was now deep in thought. Finally, after some minutes of silence, he looked out of the window and spotted a nearby building.

"Go over there, Nathan," he ordered, pointing at the building.

"Why?" asked the scarecrow, a bald man with a black goatee. "It's just a damn clothing store."

"And our ticket out, Bill."

"You're the boss."

Nathan drove towards Clark's Clothing Coast.

* * *

"OMG, you look _really_ cute in that cat costume, Marie!" exclaimed Bridgette as the redhead stepped out of the dressing room, clad in a furry, dark-brown costume with cat-styled ears that exposed her face. She spun around once, showing it off to all of her friends.

"Thanks, Brid," replied Marie, "glad you say that. I think so too."

Just then...

"EVERYONE GET DOWN ON THE FLOOR NOW!"

* * *

Outside the mall, several police cruisers had flooded around Clark's Clothing Coast. In the distance, someone with a red hood watched...

* * *

**Next Episode Summary:** A hostage crisis unfolds in Clark's Clothing Coast, and Marie and her friends are among the hostages. A rescue operation is committed by the Gang, but it turns south when Marie and Steven are abducted. Meanwhile, it seems as if one of the bank robbers is not what he seems...

* * *

**A/N:** Yeah, here's the newest chapter! Again, sorry for the delay. I honestly didn't like writing this chapter; in the end, I had to make it quick. But, here we are.

I'd like to thank those who reviewed (can't answer reviews right now):

**thedoraemons7**

**Monkey Lover 911 (guest reviewer)**

**Nyan cat (guest reviewer)**

**damonika2009**

**PnFbiggestfan**

**14AmyChan**

**Destiny's Flower**

**Da Darkest Knight**

**Deborahpflover**

**woodland5 (guest reviewer)**

**random guy (guest reviewer)**

**humanusscriptor**

**Cute as a button22**

**Axis22**

**PhinabellaDirectioner**

**What'cha doin**

**Izzylover 1234 (guest reviewer)**

**Guest reviewer**

Before I go, I must announce that because of my newly-resurrected devotion to "Pokémon", I will be updating my P&F stories a bit sporadically, as displayed here. So, please be patient for updates on this story and other P&F stories, okay? I'm on a new roll and I'm loving it. :D

Well, hope you enjoyed this chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!


	20. Night of Hell, Part 2

**A/N:** Told you guys I'd be back. But don't expect these updates to be early.

ENJOY!

**IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS:**

-Marie Flynn DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Angelus19 and sam-ely-ember.  
-Thomas Fletcher DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Melty19.  
-Jasmine Rai DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to sam-ely-ember and Melty19.  
-Bridgette Clark DOES NOT belong to me in any way! All claims of ownership fall to Orthgirl123, Angelus19, and sam-ely-ember.

* * *

**Episode 20: Night of Hell, Part 2**

* * *

_**October 30, 2035**_

"Make another foolish move like that, and your little boyfriend gets hurt."

Marie fearfully gazed up at the barrel of the laser-weapon that was aimed at her forehead; she could actually nearly feel the heat that was coating it. At the corner of her eye, she could see Steven lying down on the cold wooden floor as two other men aimed their own weapons at him. The two of them, along with their four captors, were inside a small shack, which was devoid of any furniture and other items. Marie could see darkness through a cracked window, broken by a few rays of moonlight.

"What the hell should we do now, Tony?" one of the men, a slightly heavyset man with spiky blond hair, asked as he paced around the room nervously. "Police are all over our asses, and this safe-house isn't gonna help hide us from them for any longer!"

"Shut up, Nathan, shut the hell up!" snapped a man whose face was swathed in surgical bandages. "Let me think, goddamn it!"

The man named Nathan rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right. You were the one who planned the standoff at that stupid mall, and look at where Johnny fucking wound up! _Six feet under_! He was right; we shouldn't have involved ourselves with your goddamn stupid affairs-"

"Calm down, Nathan, man!" a red-haired man with a bushy mustache exclaimed, stepping between Nathan and the bandage-faced man before the confrontation could become violent. "The cops didn't follow us here, and we're definitely out in the middle of the f- I mean, the middle of _nowhere_! Things can't go wrong now! And besides, Tony's gotten us this far! And we're still good, right? We just gotta keep sticking with him, and he'll find a way out of this!"

"Glad to hear that we've got more than _one_ smart person in the room," remarked Tony bitterly.

Muttering furiously, Nathan marched out of the room, his three compatriots watching him leave. A bald man with a black goatee sighed heavily and looked at Tony.

"Your next plan had better work, Tony," he said. "'Cause I kinda agree; your last plan got Bill shot to oblivion!"

Though his mouth was obscured by the surgical bandages, everyone could sense a malicious grin form upon Tony's face. A sinister chuckle permeated through the air; Marie shuddered, fearing what he had in mind. Their fears were amplified when he glanced at them, a menacing glint in his eyes.

"Don't worry, boys," he said. "As long as we have _them_, absolutely NOTHING can go wrong now."

Marie felt herself shrink, intimidated by her captor's menacing tone. As she backed towards the others, hearing their frantic, scared breathing, she began to reminisce over the past twelve hours that have landed him in this very predicament. She began to regret deciding to go shopping for Halloween costumes...

* * *

_**Six hours earlier**_

"EVERYONE GET DOWN ON THE FLOOR NOW!"

Marie and the others all turned around and screamed upon seeing five gunmen, holding four people at gunpoint, rush into the anchor store. A nearby store employee and a customer gasped and raised their hands to the ceiling as two of the gunmen forced them down to the floor. The group of girls collectively stiffened when one of the gunmen, whose face was swathed in surgical bandages, focused his attention on them.

"Halloween shopping, eh?" he asked. "That's nice." He raised his laser-weapon. "Get the fuck done on the floor with those six."

The twelve girls immediately obliged and wordlessly ran over towards the six other hostages, lying down on the floor beside them. At that point, Melinda gasped upon spotting one of the other hostages, a middle-aged woman who sported blonde hair identical to hers. Marie also recognized the woman. It was Katie.

"_Mom_?" whispered Melinda, shocked.

"Hey, no talking over there!" barked one of the gunmen, a tall and thin man with wiry brown hair. He aimed his weapon threateningly at Marie and Melinda. "Get down on the floor, or else you'll be getting goddamn bullets to the foreheads! DOWN, **NOW**!"

"Now, now, Johnny," the bandaged-faced man said as the girls all laid themselves down on the cold floor, "let's not be cruel to the hostages. Remember, they have to be in top shape if we are to negotiate our way out of this mess." The man named Johnny nodded, just as two of the gunmen reappeared with five women in tow.

"Found them in the dressing room, Tony," one of the gunmen, a slight heavyset man with spiky blond hair, said.

"Okay, put them down on the floor with the rest of the hostages," Tony, the bandaged-faced man, replied.

As the five women laid themselves alongside the rest of the hostages, Marie heard police sirens converge outside of the anchor store. She began to sweat when she saw the gunmen flick their heads at the entrance doors, like alert rabbits. Tony then chuckled and strode towards the doors.

"Tony, what're you doing?!" the heavyset man exclaimed.

"Just gonna tell them we have hostages, what else, Nathan?" replied Tony as the doors slid open. Marie then heard three shots being fired, and then Tony's voice as it resonated through the air. "STAND DOWN, COPS! WE'VE GOT HOSTAGES, AND WE'RE NOT AFRAID TO KILL 'EM! SO JUST BACK OFF, AND NO ONE DIES!"

The redheaded teenager then heard Tony step back into the anchor store, just as the sirens were all switched off.

"Okay, what do we do now, Tony?" one of the gunmen, a red-haired man with a bushy mustache, asked. "We have the hostages. What's step two?"

Tony's response was simple and terse. "We take the cliched path of negotiating our way out, Brennan."

* * *

_**Several minutes later**_

Marie had never felt this scared in her life ever since she and Thomas were abducted by Thaddeus and Thor when they was nine. She did not even dare herself to look up to see what her captors were doing. She could only be able to hear them pace around silently. She didn't know how much time had passed; it might've been just a few minutes, but to her perspective, it felt like _hours_, long and drawn-out hours spent in utter fear and complete helplessness. She couldn't help but feel a little stupid, just lying on the cold, hard floor in a cat costume, seemingly paralyzed... She should be _doing_ something about this situation...

Hearing the closest gunman distance himself, Marie moved her head towards Jazz, who was trying hard to restrain her sobbing, albeit with a great amount of difficulty.

"It's gonna be okay, Jazz," whispered Marie. "Everything's gonna be okay..."

"You'd know that," Jazz whispered back, hiccuping. "_You_ were kidnapped and _you_ got rescued; you'd see little reason to worry..."

"We'll get rescued, Jazz. All of us will. Just stay calm-"

"Hey, what'd I tell about no talking?" Johnny snarled, walking up to Marie and Jazz and aiming his laser-weapon at them. "Shut up, will ya?! Or else-"

"Settle _down_, Johnny!" snapped Tony, approaching his accomplice, a loose bandage fluttering from the air. "Don't get the hostages more frightened as they are now! I just told you that we're gonna need _all of them_ in top shape if we are to get out of this mess!"

"I'm starting to doubt we'll be able to get out of this mess, Tony! We've killed three people, including a cop! What makes you think we're gonna get ourselves out?!"

Tony's eyes narrowed, and he glanced at the hostages. He then stared down at Johnny menacingly. "I swear to God, if any of the hostages heard what you just said, I promise you that there'll be _hell_ to pay! The cops don't know about the cop we offed, but once they do, then they'll get on our asses even more, and it'll be your fault-"

Johnny aimed his laser-weapon at Tony, and the other three captors' attentions were piqued.

"What d'you mean it'll be **MY** fault?" snarled Johnny. "It was **YOUR** idea to off the cop! You said it'd be just for kicks!" His eyes narrowed as he stared at the calm and implacable Tony. "You know, I'm starting to regret getting involved in this! You promised us riches, as long as we helped you with your stupid anti-technology agenda!"

"DAMN IT, SHUT UP! THE HOSTAGES MIGHT HEAR-"

Johnny fired a shot to the ceiling, startling the hostages. Bridgette, Sasha, and Rosa began to whimper fearfully.

"WHO THE HELL **CARES**?!" he roared. "WE'RE ALL BOXED IN, WITH NO WAY OUT! MAYBE I MIGHT AS WELL-"

Suddenly, a nearby telephone that was sitting on the desk previously occupied by the captive employee rang. The gunmen collectively glanced at it for several seconds before Tony calmly fired a single shot that landed just a few inches away from Marie's head, causing her to scream out in fear.

"Answer it, now," he ordered.

Marie didn't have to be told twice. She ran up to the phone, picked it up, and answered, "H-He-_Hello_?"

"Who is this?" a familiar male voice asked. Marie's eyes widened.

"_Commissioner Kestler_?" she asked, remembering the police lieutenant who helped rescue her from Thaddeus and Thor. "Is that you?"

"Marie?" the commissioner replied, shocked. "Oh my God, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay-" Suddenly, she felt the barrel of a laser-weapon press against her temple. The redheaded girl broke out in a hot sweat.

"Tell the cop that we want a fueled-up chopper and a cop-free route to...uh...South Greece."

Marie nodded fearfully and said into the phone, "They want a helicopter that can take them to South Greece."

"Okay, Marie," replied Kestler, "tell them that it can all be arranged if they release some of the hostages."

Marie stared into Tony's bandage-swathed face; she could sense his smirk. "He says that he'll bring a helicopter in if you release some of us."

She could sense his smirk widening, and he glanced at his accomplices. "Bring one of the hostages over, Brennan," he ordered.

The heavyset man nodded and brought over a middle-aged man of Asian descent, who was panting frantically. Marie let out a small scream the moment Tony aimed his laser-weapon and fired a single shot to the man's head; he crumpled to the ground in a heap, like a disturbed pile of bricks.

"Tell the cop that he's in no position to make a negotiation," said Tony. "Either we get our chopper, or-" He opened up his jacket to reveal a bomb. "-everyone dies."

"Wait, since when did you have a _bomb_?!" cried Brennan, stepping backward.

Tony glared at him. "This was for a last resort. Sorry if I didn't enlighten you earlier."

"First getting us into this mess," snarled Johnny, "now telling us that you had a _bomb_ this whole goddamn time?! What the fuck's going on here, man?!"

"Just stay quiet. This is all part of the plan-"

"-Which is doomed to failure!"

Tony aimed his laser-weapon at Johnny and fired a shot, which flew just inches past him and hit a rack of shirts, obliterating several of them. "I TOLD YOU TO SHUT UP! I'VE GOT EVERYTHING PLANNED OUT TO THE LAST DETAIL! JUST LET ME HANDLE IT!" He glared at Marie. "Tell the cop that he's got thirty minutes, or it's ka-blooey!"

Marie nodded and said into the phone, "He says you're in no position to negotiate, and that you give them a chopper in thirty minutes, or he's setting off a bomb."

"They have a _bomb_?" Kestler asked, shocked. She then heard him sigh and talk to someone. Then... "Okay, Marie, tell them that their chopper is on the way."

"Okay." Marie looked at Tony and said, almost in a whimper, "Your chopper's on the way."

Tony's smile widened. "_Good_." He then grabbed the phone from Marie's hands and slammed it down on the receiver. "You've served your purpose. Now drag that meat outta here." He pointed at the man's corpse, then aimed his weapon at Katie. "Help her. Get the body to the entrance doors, but don't think about making a run for it."

Katie nodded and stood up, helping Marie as they dragged the man's body towards the sliding doors. There, they saw dozens of police cruisers outside, with about a hundred police officers stationed in the parking lot. They all aimed their weapons at them, but then lowered them upon seeing the man's body.

"Set it along the doors," Tony instructed. "Make sure the cops see what they're dealing with..."

Marie nodded, all the while refusing to look at the man's bloodied face...

* * *

_**Ten minutes later**_

The past several minutes were spent with Marie lying down on the floor, between Jazz and Josie. The skin on her face had now become accustomed to the floor's cold surface. She was trembling, however, and not from the cold, but the sheer terror. This way worse than her time with Thaddeus and Thor. She just saw someone _die_...

"Marie, I'm _scared_..." she heard Josie whisper.

"...I'm scared too..." Marie replied.

"What're we gonna do?" asked Jazz.

"We just stay calm, and hope that they'll release us once they get what they need."

"B-But they just killed that man, and they have a _bomb_!" Sasha whispered. "What if the cops _don't_ give them what they want? And if even they do, what's to stop them from killing us anyway?" At that newest comment, the other girls whimpered fearfully.

"Don't say that!" said Marie. "We-We'll just stay calm. That's all we can do-"

Suddenly, the telephone rang again, followed by a gunshot. "Girl in the cat costume," Tony barked, "answer the goddamn phone!"

"W-Why me?" Marie asked, before she could stop herself. She felt herself shrink in size the moment the bandage-faced man marched up to her, a glint in his eyes, and pointed the warm barrel of his laser-weapon directly at her nose. She could sense his smirk.

"Because, apparently, you know the cop you're talking to. Now, go!"

Marie obliged and stood up, tripping a little due to the cat costume she was still wearing. She ran up to the desk that held the ringing telephone and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Marie, is that you?" Kestler asked.

"Yes, it's me," replied Marie. "What is it?"

"Tell them that the helicopter's on their way. It'll be at the scene in about ten more minutes."

Marie nodded and lowered the phone, addressing the gunmen. "He says the helicopter's on its way. It'll come at about ten minutes."

The red-haired, mustached man let out a relieved sigh. "Oh, thank God!" he exclaimed.

"Hold on a sec," Tony said, his eyes narrowed.

"What the hell?" the heavyset man exclaimed. "She said the chopper's on its way!"

"I have a bad feeling about this. Cops don't agree to demands like ours this quickly..." Tony aimed his weapon at Marie. "Tell them that there'd better be no dirty tricks up their sleeves! 'Cause I swear to God, I'm not afraid to detonate the bomb and take us all out!"

"Dude, I'd rather surrender than die from a bomb!" Johnny snarled.

"Yeah, me too," the tall man added. "I never saw that bomb coming; I'm not gonna let that thing kill me!"

Tony glared at his accomplices, obviously impatient with their ambivalent attitudes. "Dudes, it was _just_ an empty threat! Can't you tell an empty threat when you hear it, you idiots?!" In complete rage, he fired a shot that whizzed by Marie's head. "You say what I told you to the cop right now!"

Marie nodded. "Commissioner, they're saying that there'd better be no dirty tricks or anything. They're not afraid to set off the bomb-"

"No, it's just Tony who's not afraid," interrupted Brennan.

Meanwhile, Tony's attention was piqued. "The _Commissioner_, eh?..." He stalked towards Marie, his weapon in hand. Suddenly, Tony struck her in the stomach, causing her to cry out in pain and fall to the floor. Clutching her bruised stomach, she looked up as Tony grabbed the phone._  
_

"Hello, Commissioner Kestler," he hissed into the phone. "You'd better get our chopper here, without any surprises, otherwise you're gonna be saying goodbye to this girl, just like you said goodbye to your daughter." Marie could hear Kestler's voice, but she didn't know what he was saying, though it seemed to be something critical, as Tony merely smirked widely. "Yes, that's right, I know _everything_ about you. I've done my homework. So, don't let history repeat itself. Make sure that chopper gets here, and make sure no one fucking follows us. To give myself leverage, I'm taking along the precious redhead here. Don't worry, no harm will come of her. That is, as long as you're cooperative. That'll be all, Commissioner. Have a nice day..."

With a chuckle, he hung up. Marie's face paled; she was still gonna be a hostage even after her captors' demands were met.

* * *

_**Five minutes later**_

Ever since the five gunmen found out that she knew the Police Commissioner, Marie was forced to sit on one of the chairs alongside one of the escalators, directly near Tony and his accomplices as they watched over the rest of the hostages. She had been allowed to change back into her regular clothes, and the cat costume was now being used as a makeshift blanket for Bridgette, who was now trembling severely due to the activated air-conditioning system.

"What're we gonna do once we get the chopper, Tony?" the heavyset man asked.

"Well, we have a one-way flight to South Greece, what else, Nathan?" replied Tony.

"Why _South Greece_, Tony?" asked Johnny, an eyebrow raised in suspicion. "If I can recall, most of the ancient Greek ruins were relocated to North Greece after the end of the civil war. There's really nothing else over there that is worth seeing, let alone a good hiding place..."

Tony glared at Johnny suspiciously as well, but replied calmly, "I have it all under control. South Greece."

"If you say so, man," Nathan replied. "All I want is to get away from those cops. I can't afford to have another offense on my record!"

"You won't get another offense, man. As long as no one knows what your name is, then we're good."

Nathan's voice was dripping with sarcasm. "Yeah. _No one_ knows what my name is. NO ONE knows who our names are!"

"Don't _worry _about the hostages, man. They won't be a problem anymore..."

Marie heard several of the hostages, including her friends, whimper in fear. Just then, the corner of her eye caught something moving past the clothing racks. Looking at the five gunmen to see if they were looking at her, she then cast a glance at the rows of racks. At first, she didn't see anything. But after several seconds, she saw five teenage boys wearing familiar trench-coats tiptoeing from the shelter of one rack to the next.

It was Thomas, Steven, Peter, Z, and Max.

The redheaded teenage girl wanted to yell out to them, but then, she remembered her captors and stayed silent. The moment her eyes met Thomas's, he nodded at her, and she nodded back before innocently staring at the floor, hearing the five Gang members draw closer and closer. She wasn't sure if they were armed or not, but she had faith in Thomas, and she knew that he had somehow gotten himself and his friends prepared.

Just then, she saw Thomas sneak directly behind two of the gunmen. He stared at her and covered his ears for a couple of seconds, then nodded at her. She instantly understood and covered her ears. Within a span of minutes, she saw the other hostages cover their ears as well, having been signaled by Steven, Peter, Z, and Max.

A few seconds later, loud music blasted through the room, permeating through Marie's hands and assaulting her eardrums with as much power as it could. Protected by her hands, she could only watch as the five gunmen screamed out in pain and collapsed to the ground, dropping their weapons and covering their ears.

"AGH, WHAT THE HELL IS THAT INFERNAL **NOISE**?!" one of them (Marie couldn't tell which) screeched.

While the gunmen were all distracted, Thomas, Steven, Peter, Z, and Max, all wearing earplugs and ski masks, ran up to the hostages, giving several more earplugs to them before escorting them towards the sliding doors. Thomas and Steven were running alongside Marie when they heard, through their earplugs, Tony.

"HEY, THEY'RE GETTING AWAY! SHOOT 'EM!"

Lasers suddenly flew in the air, and Thomas, Marie, and Steven were forced to jump in different directions, towards the clothing racks for protection. Marie and Steven took cover under a desk, watching as Thomas and Bridgette scrambled inside a rack while the others were able to make it out of the store. The loud music continued to blare as Tony stalked down the room, apparently the only one unaffected by the roaring. He stopped in his tracks, staring straight at the entrance doors, and suddenly opened fire at them. Lasers flew back and forth, and it became clear that he was engaged in a gunfight with officers trying to enter the store.

Marie felt something tap her shoulder, and she looked at Steven. He motioned towards one of the racks that was standing close to the entrance doors, and began to get out from under the desk. She followed him to the rack and quickly got inside, using the hanging articles of jeans to obscure them from Tony. They then watched as three of the gunmen back away towards the escalators, apparently in retreat from the officers that were now entering the anchor store. For some reason, Marie and Steven couldn't be able to see Tony and the fifth gunman, Johnny, anywhere in sight.

On cue, the jeans suddenly parted, revealing Johnny's smirking face, and the barrel of his laser-weapon. "Going somewhere?" he asked.

Steven moved in front of Marie defensively, seconds before they heard a laser being fired. However, it wasn't Steven who was hit: Johnny collapsed to the ground in a lifeless heap, revealing Tony, smoke issuing from the barrel of his own weapon, which he now aimed at the two teenagers. He pressed a green button on the firearm.

"I'm not finished with you yet..." he said, a second before he pulled the trigger.

Marie's world went black...

* * *

_**Present time**_

Just a few minutes ago, Marie had woken up in the small shack with Steven beside her, already conscious. According to him, Tony had set off his bomb, which proved to be extremely powerful, destroying the entire anchor store and giving Tony and his accomplices the advantage to flee with them. Unfortunately, he never knew exactly what had happened to Thomas and Bridgette, who were still hiding in a clothing rack at the time of the blast.

"So, Tony," said a bald man with a black goatee, "you've done a lot of thinking. What's the next plan, genius?"

"We wait till night falls, Bill," Tony replied. "Once it does, we hightail it outta here. We take Ma- I mean, _the girl_ with us."

"What about the boy?" asked Brennan.

"It's simple. We kill him."

The corner of Marie's eye saw Steven's skin pale horribly. Things became worse when Tony continued to speak.

"In fact, kill him now. He's already superfluous."

Marie instantly moved between Steven and the advancing Brennan, shielding him defensively. "If you wanna kill him," she said boldly, "then you'll have to kill me first."

"No, Brennan," Tony instructed. "We need her for our operation."

"_What_ operation? As far as I'm concerned, it's all about evading the goddamn cops now! There's NO operation anymore!"

Tony's eyes narrowed. "The operation goes on as planned. Now, kill the boy, and make sure not a scratch lands on M-" He cleared his throat. "-I mean, the _girl_. DO IT. Remember, you're being paid handsomely for your cooperation, you and your cronies. Continue to cooperate, and I'll continue to cooperate-"

However, Marie suddenly got an idea. It was a long-shot, but it was guaranteed to work.

"So, uh, Tony, is it?" she said cleverly, interrupting the bandage-faced man in mid-sentence, a smile forming on her face as Steven watched curiously. "If you say you're cooperating with your friends, then how come you didn't tell them YOU were the one who shot Johnny?"

Bill and Brennan's attentions were piqued. "WHAT?!" they shouted simultaneously.

Tony, however, replied calmly, "I did no such thing. I'm assuming this is your tactic of staying alive: turning us against each other. Effective, but flawed."

"Not as flawed as you'd think..." Bill snarled as he and Brennan aimed their weapons at Tony. "Is it true? Did you _kill_ Johnny?!"

"My God, you two idiots are actually _listening_ to that girl?" Tony started cackling maliciously, as if he told a cruel joke. "You've gotta be KIDDING me! She's just trying to turn us against each other. Pretty soon she's gonna be saying that Bill was banging Brennan's ex!"

"**WHAT**?!" Brennan roared, prompting more laughter from Tony. As Brennan started to shout at Bill, Marie and Steven tried to crawl away, but Tony spotted them.

"And just _where_ did you think you two are going?" he asked as he aimed his laser-weapon at them. However, before he could make anymore moves, Bill and Brennan's arguing began to reach a breaking point already; Brennan had aimed his weapon at Bill's head.

"YOU BANGING ME EX, BILL?!" he cried.

"IT WASN'T **MY** FAULT!" Bill screamed in protest. "THE BITCH SEDUCED ME-"

Brennan abruptly fired a laser over Bill's shoulder and shrieked, "DON'T YOU FUCKING SAY THAT, YOU BASTARD! I **KNOW** YOU TWO HAD A THING GOING ON EVEN WHILE I WAS GOING OUT WITH HER! DON'T YOU **DARE** THROW THAT KIND OF CRAP AT ME!"

"I was just joking, my GOD!" Tony screeched, over the other two men. "YOU **IDIOTS**!"

Bill and Brennan immediately aimed their weapons back at Tony.

"Don't think we've forgotten about you shooting Johnny!" Bill said.

Tony sighed heavily. "And I wonder why it was SO easy for me to recruit you to my scheme?"

Suddenly, the windows shattered, and three objects that looked like small pipes landed on the floor, issuing smoke. Tony, Bill, and Brennan shielded themselves from the billowing clouds of smoke, giving Marie and Steven the chance to flee the shack...

And into the darkness of a vast forest.

* * *

**Next Episode Summary:** Finding themselves stranded in the middle of an unknown forest, Marie and Steven are forced to rely on their natural instincts to survive the Halloween daylight. Meanwhile, back at Danville, a search is on for the two teenagers as more information on the enigmatic Tony is shed...

* * *

**A/N:** YES, I'M DONE! And just in time! Tomorrow's the first day of my senior year in high school! Wish me luck!

I wish I could list the people who reviewed the last chapter, but since I deleted my Author's Note, it's become confusing to distinguish which reviewers posted reviews for the ACTUAL Ch. 19. So, it looks like I'm gonna have to keep that section empty.

Consider this a gift to commemorate the end of this year's summer! Don't expect me to keep updating this story, though. I'm still working on "Pokémon".

Well, hope you enjoyed this chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!


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